A refreshing, mouthfilling rosé is the quintessential summer wine - pretty, lively and often frivolous.
Rosés are made from several varieties and come in various shades from the faintest blush, though pale onion-skin to bright, almost shocking pink.
Some are sweetish, others drier - they are not wines to ponder over or discuss, but to enjoy well-chilled, preferably outdoors, with olives, tapenade or other nibbles, salads, or a light meal of seafood, chicken or pink lamb.
◊ BEST UNDER $20
$17
A pretty, bright pink with fresh, zesty aromas, fruit flavours supported by hints of nuts, with a dryish finish.
A charming wine, precise and delicious as most of Muddy Water's are.
Four stars (out of five)
Good value
$19
Bright pink with hints of redcurrants and toasted nuts, a savoury undertone and a textural finish.
Good with food.
Four stars (out of five)
Good value
$18
This wine, the pale colour of onion-skin, is made from pinot noir and dolcetto (an Italian red variety).
Fresh and fragrant with a hint of mineral and a firm dryish finish it has a faint hint of bitterness which helps it complement food.
Three stars (out of five)
Average value
$23.50
A pretty pink with a light berry fragrance and a hint of mineral, this is zesty and fresh with a hot, dryish finish.
Charming on a summer's evening.
Three stars (out of five)
Below average value
$21
Pale pink, fragrant and tingly with a fresh, clean finish and lingering sweetness, this is a sweeter style of rosé, light, frivolous and quite moreish.
Three stars (out of five)
Below average value
$25
Made from merlot grown on Waiheke Island, this has a light aroma suggesting hay and dried herbs, and is zesty with a hint of strawberry sweetness and a hot, dryish finish.
Three stars (out of five)
Below average value
$22
A hint of charred wood, with undertones of redcurrants, a slightly oily texture and dryish finish.
Two stars (out of five)
Below average value
$18
Brighter pink and slightly drier than the Penny Blonde (see above), this is made from pinot noir.
Fragrant with a hint of pine needles, and a dryish, but slightly bitter finish which makes it better with food.
Two stars (out of five)
Below average value
$20
With the faintest blush of pink, hints of berry and stone fruit, this is simple, off dry, but with a fresh finish.
Two stars (out of five)
Below average value
Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations.
Two stars - simple, clean, enjoyable wine; three stars - good wine with varietal characteristics; four stars - very good wine with some outstanding characteristics; five stars - outstanding wine with balance and harmony that leaves you with a sense of wonder.
