A Good Year for the Rosés

There has been a huge surge in the popularity of rosé style wines in NZ in the last 5 years.

And particularly in summer, the allure of a chilled pink rosé on a hot, blue-skied day is hard to resist. Rosé wines essentially pair with any food style, appeal to both red and white wine drinkers and are particularly suited to picnic fare and barbecues. The dominant style now has moved way away from the ‘candy water’ sweet rosés of the 70s and 80s to the traditional Provence bone dry or just off-dry style. Indeed, we are starting to see some French rosés on the shelves at wine stores and on some restaurant menus. Here’s some local and imported examples.

Spade Oak Heart of Gold Gisborne Tempranillo Rosé 2017 $NZ 23
A new twist on the Spanish grape variety Tempranillo. Salmon pink in the glass.  Aromas of summer fruit compote and cherry. In the mouth it is just nudging off-dry with complex and elegant flavours of strawberry, marzipan and sour cherry with a medium dry lengthy finish. Available from Countdown.

La Mascaronne Quat Saisonas Provence French Rosé 2017 $NZ 27
Sealed with a DIAM composite cork closure. Classic Provence style, with aromas of watermelon and a whiff of strawberry compote. Crisp, clean and tangy with a hint of strawberry and ripe pineapple. Complex and mouth filling. Available from Glengarry.

Tupari ‘Pink Pukeko’ Marlborough Rosé 2017 $NZ 20
Pale rose pink, with aromas of strawberry and a whiff of confectionary. Very much in the Provence style – bone dry, with cranberry and red berry fruit flavours. Finishes dry, clean and tangy. Available from Glengarry.

Soho ‘Pink Sheep’ Marlborough Rosé 2017 $NZ 22.99
Aromas of canned peach and rhubarb. Just nudging dry at 12.5% alcohol.  Flavours of red apple and watermelon.  A clean fruity finish. But wait, there’s more – 50c per bottle sold goes to mental health charity ‘Key to Life’ charitable trust, spearheaded by Mike King. Available from Herne Bay Cellars.

‘R’ Château Riotor Côtes de Provence 2016 $NZ 20
Provence wine, sealed with a screwcap (zut alors!) Flavours of summer red berries, sour cherry and cranberry with a lengthy tangy bone dry - almost astringent finish that reminds me of canned pink guava. Available from Glengarry.

 Phil runs wine tours to Waiheke Island and Auckland region in New Zealand.

Rockin' the South - Canterbury's Rockburn wines.

A Central Otago high-flyer, Rockburn has done very well, with their pinot noir picking up numerous awards.

Winery owner is Dunedin cardiothoracic surgeon Richard Bunton. The winemaker is former microbiologist Malcolm Rees-Francis who spent four years at Felton Road Wines as assistant winemaker. A very stylish cellar door and winery was opened in 2006, and features a back wall of Central Otago river stones and a long dark polished wooden waka (Māori canoe) shaped tasting room counter.

Their wines are available throughout New Zealand and are exported to the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Southeast Asia and beyond. And also, like Wooing Tree, their Rosé – Stolen Kiss – has been highly successful

Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Gris 2016 $NZ 45.00

Poached pear aromas. A rich and unctuous palate of mandarin citrus, pineapple and ripe pear with a hint of sweetness and an off-dry finish.

Rockburn Central Otago Estate Pinot Noir 2016 $NZ 45.00

Aromas of dark berry fruit and spicy liquorice. Fruity palate with red and black cherry, rich mocha and supple silky tannins with a long finish.

Rockburn Seven Barrels Pinot Noir 2016 $NZ 97.00

Spicy aromas, with a bit of tar, wood smoke and black berry compote. Smoky and savoury flavours of dustiness, with fruity black cherry, plum and a hint of truffle.

Rockburn The Art Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 $NZ 97.00

Smells  like pot pourri with a hint of gaminess and ripe plum.

Rounded, soft and feminine. Floral and subtle with red fruit flavours, cherry and liquorice.

Phil Parker runs Wine Tours to Waiheke Island and Auckland region in New Zealand.