But, gadzooks, with my attention distracted I forgot all about Rose Day which was Saturday, February 5!
I can only hope to celebrate the day retrospectively with the selection on offer today. Bookended by a smashing Rose bubbly and a wine that’s not a Rose at all, but seems to fit in nicely, so there should be something for everyone.
2020 Church Road Gwen Hawke’s Bay Rosé
Rating Very Good to Excellent
The nose offers
bready, yeasty
notes, red berries,
smoke and a hint of
salinity. Supple,
rounded entry and
quite dry. A real
tanginess to this,
driven by the bright
acidity. Not at all a
fruit bomb, rather
more serious and
food friendly and
perhaps closer to
the Provence model.
The fruit swells and
there’s a nice
crunchiness to this.
2016 Quartz Reef Methode Traditionelle Rosé
2021 Main Divide North Canterbury Rosé
Rating Excellent
Bright and sweetly fruited
nose with florality, fruit
sherbet, candy floss and
a savoury touch. Lovely
vibrancy to this, it
dances on the palate,
with loads of fruit
flavour. A chewy
touch and a little
piquancy add to the
interest, while time
brings up a
fascinating Sav Blanc
like "sweaty" note
which all work as a
nice counterpoint to
the fruit sweetness.
Fun in a glass.
2021 Jules Taylor OTQ Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé
Rating Very Good to Excellent
A hint of confectionery
leads, moving to
strawberries and full
cream. Somewhat
subtle yet attractive
nose. That creamy
quality on the palate too,
with mixed berryfruits
and a spicy touch,
bigger boned this and
deceptively powerful.
Rich and mouthfilling,
adding watermelon and
a bittersweet element
with a glow to the close.
A lot of appeal and very
easy drinking.
2021 Elephant Hill Hawke’s Bay Rosé
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Fragrant, perfumed,
banana skin, rose
petal, dusty gravel.
The palate drier than
the nose might
suggest, yet the fruit
sweetness is
evident in the mixed
summer berries and
turkish delight.
There’s structure
and building chewy
grip here with a little
sweet ‘n’ sour yin &
yang thing going on,
on the finish. Crying
out for some sunny
summer days.
2021 Rabbit Ranch Bright Eyes White Pinot Noir
Price RRP $22
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Not in fact a Rosé, but
a Blanc de Noir, a
white wine vinified
from red grapes.
Peach, nectarine,
bread dough, a faint
hint of juicy fruit gum.
Clotted cream and
spice on the palate,
adding lemon/
preserved lemon with
aeration: neatly vinous
rather than a big fruit
statement. Light on its
feet, this develops a
lovely creaminess as
the fruit begins to
swell.
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