‘Perfect for pairing with straw hats, sunny days and cucumber sandwiches,” enthuses Marlborough winemaker Jules Taylor about her latest rosé. Between 2000 and 2020, this country’s output of rosés soared tenfold, and has since doubled again.
This explosion of sales reflects Kiwis’ discovery that rosé is not an inherently inferior lolly water, but a worthwhile and delicious wine style in its own right. Reflecting tough competition in the marketplace, the number of rosés still on sale a couple of years after the harvest is climbing, but most are maturing markedly better than in the past.
Babich Family Estates Organic Marlborough Rosé 2022
★★★★
Certified organic, this single-vineyard Wairau Valley wine was blended from sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, chardonnay and pinot noir. Pale pink, it is crisp and lively with peachy, slightly spicy and strawberryish flavours that build well across the palate to a basically dry finish. (13% alc/vol) $25
Black Estate North Canterbury Treble Rosé 2023
★★★★★
“Treble” refers to Black Estate’s three vineyard sites. Fresh and lively, this pink-hued wine was made principally from pinot noir, with splashes of riesling, cabernet franc, chenin blanc and chardonnay. Delicious now, it has flavours of red berries, peaches and watermelon, shows excellent delicacy and vibrancy, and has a dry finely balanced finish. Certified organic. (12% alc/vol) $30
Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Rosé 2023
★★★★★
This instantly appealing rosé was made from estate-grown, hand-picked pinot noir. Full, bright pink, it is packed with vigorous, berryish, gently spicy flavours that lead to a finely balanced, appetisingly crisp dry finish.
(13% alc/vol) $25
Cable Bay Awatere Valley Marlborough Pinot Rosé 2023
★★★★½
This Waiheke Island-based producer owns a vineyard in Marlborough. Made from pinot noir, this distinctive rosé is pink/orange, full-bodied and dry, with strong peach, strawberry and spice flavours, a hint of apricot and a smooth finish. Unusually full-flavoured for rosé, it’s probably at its peak right now. (13% alc/vol) $28-$34
Church Road Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2023
★★★½
Offering very easy drinking, this pink/orange rosé was blended from merlot and syrah. Fresh and medium-bodied with a hint of sweetness and good depth of peach, watermelon and spice flavours, it’s ready to roll. (12% alc/vol) $16-$20
Colere Southern Valleys Marlborough Rosato 2022
★★★★★
You could call this a “serious” rosé, but it’s also delicious. Made from pinot noir, it is a deep pink, full-bodied wine with strong, vibrant peach, strawberry and spice flavours, savoury notes adding complexity, a touch of tannin, gentle acidity and a dry finish. Full of interest, it’s maturing very gracefully. (14% alc/vol) $45
Cotes Des Sommets Pays D’Oc Rosé 2022
This finely poised dry rosé flows from the south of France. Bright, light pink, it has gentle peach, watermelon and spice flavours showing excellent freshness and delicacy, and a lively, lingering finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $23
★★★★½
Cuvar Guardian Collection Cornerstone Vineyard Rosé 2023
★★★★½
“Cabernet franc is the best grape for rosé in Hawke’s Bay,” believes winemaker Michelle Richardson. This bright, light pink wine was hand-harvested in the Cornerstone Vineyard, in the Gimblett Gravels. It has strong, lively flavours of watermelon and strawberries, excellent delicacy and vibrancy, fresh acidity and a dry finish. (12.7% alc/vol) $34
Emma by Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2024
★★★★½
Trinity Hill’s premium rosé is a single-vineyard wine from montepulciano, a classic Italian variety. Bright pink, it is medium-bodied, fresh and energetic with strong stonefruit flavours, hints of strawberries and spices, balanced acidity and a dry, lingering finish. (12% alc/vol) $35
Flaxmore Moutere Nelson Rosé 2023
★★★★★
This impressive, well-priced wine was made from pinot noir estate-grown and hand-picked at Upper Moutere. Pale pink/slight orange, it is fragrant and lively with generous, ripe peach, strawberry and spice flavours, a hint of apricot and a dry, sustained finish. (13% alc/vol) $23
Georges Road Les Terrasses North Canterbury Rosé 2024
★★★★½
Bright pink, this vibrant wine was made principally from syrah hand-harvested at Waipara. It is vivacious with strong plum, watermelon, strawberry and spice flavours, a sliver of sweetness and a crisp, finely balanced lingering finish. Very easy, characterful drinking. (12.3% alc/vol) $28
Greystone Waipara Valley North Canterbury Rosé 2024
★★★★½
Certified organic, this is an estate-grown blend of pinot noir (70%) and riesling (30%). Bright, light pink, it is fresh, medium-bodied and lively with strong, delicate watermelon, peach, strawberry and spice flavours and a finely balanced, basically dry, crisp finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $28
Jules Taylor The Jules Rosé 2024
★★★★½
Priced right, this is a highly attractive marriage of Gisborne merlot (82%) and Marlborough pinot noir (18%). Bright, light pink, it is fresh and weighty with strong, ripe flavours of peaches, watermelon, strawberries and spices and a very harmonious dry finish. It’s already delicious. (13% alc/vol) $23-$26
Kōparepare Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2024
★★★★
The Kōparepare selection is made by Whitehaven for LegaSea, to help fund the restoration of inshore fisheries. Bright, light pink, this vigorous, freshly scented rosé has vibrant, delicate strawberry, watermelon and spice flavours and is dry and crisp. Full of drink-young charm. (12.5% alc/vol) $21
Lawson’s Dry Hills Pink Pinot 2023
★★★★★
This vivacious wine was made from 20-year-old Marlborough pinot noir vines grown in the lower Wairau Valley. Bright, light pink, it is very fresh and frisky with strong strawberry, watermelon and peach flavours and a crisp, basically dry finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $22
Main Divide North Canterbury Rosé 2024
★★★★
Bright pink with fresh, berryish aromas, this crisp, lively wine is from a “unique assemblage of varieties” – past vintages included pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. A dry style, it has vigorous strawberry, peach and watermelon flavours and shows very good depth. (12.5% alc/vol) $22
Māori Point Central Otago Pinot Rosé 2024
★★★★½
Instantly appealing, this bright pink wine is vibrantly fruity and energetic. It has strong red berry, watermelon and spice flavours, a gentle touch of tannin and a finely balanced dryish finish. Good drinking for this summer. (12.9% alc/vol) $30
Misha’s Vineyard The Soloist Central Otago Pinot Rosé 2024
★★★★★
Delicious in its youth, this Bendigo rosé was made from pinot noir and handled almost entirely in stainless steel tanks; 3% of the blend was fermented in old oak barrels. Bright, light pink, it is mouthfilling with strong peach, watermelon and strawberry flavours, shows excellent delicacy and vibrancy, gentle acidity and a finely textured, dry, lengthy finish. (13.5% alc/vol) $32
Mission Estate Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2023
★★★★
Priced sharply, this wine is typically made from merlot grapes. Pink with a hint of orange, it is fragrant and full-bodied with very good depth of peach, watermelon and spice flavours, a hint of apricot and a smooth finish. (13% alc/vol) $15-$18
Mondillo Central Otago Rosé 2023
★★★★★
This attractive, vigorous, bright pink rosé is from pinot noir estate-grown at Bendigo. Fragrant and vibrantly fruity, it has strong red berry, watermelon and strawberry flavours, slightly spicy notes and a lingering, dry, finely poised finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $30-$32
Mount Brown North Canterbury Pinot Noir Rosé 2023
★★★★
Priced sharply, this is an instantly appealing blend of the classic Spanish tempranillo variety with syrah and pinot noir. Bright pink, it is medium-bodied with lively delicate peach, watermelon and strawberry flavours and a sliver of sweetness balanced by refreshing acidity. (13% alc/vol) $17
Obliix New Zealand Rosé 2023
★★★★
Aromatic, fresh, crisp and lively, this bright light-pink wine is a 2:1 blend of Marlborough pinot noir and Hawke’s Bay syrah. It has strong peach, strawberry and spice flavours, a sliver of sweetness and appetising acidity. (12.5% alc/vol) $18
Odyssey Marlborough Rosé 2023
★★★★★
Offering magnetic value, this pinot noir-based rosé was estate-grown and hand-harvested in the Brancott Valley. Bright pink, it is fragrant and full-bodied with strong, lively watermelon, strawberry, peach and spice flavours, a hint of apricot and a very harmonious finish that is crisp, dry and smooth. Certified organic. (13.5% alc/vol) $22
Paddy Borthwick Wairarapa Pinot Rosé 2024
★★★★½
This bright pink charmer was made from pinot noir estate-grown at Gladstone, and part of the blend was aged briefly in old French oak casks. Very fresh and vibrant, it has gentle watermelon, peach and spice flavours and shows excellent delicacy, balanced acidity and a dry finish. Already delicious. (13% alc/vol) $24-$27
Redmetal Vineyards Bridge Pā Triangle Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2023
★★★★
Salmon pink, this is a blend of cabernet franc (70%) and merlot (30%). It is full-bodied and dry, has strong, vigorous, berryish, slightly spicy flavours and is very fresh, crisp and lively. (13% alc/vol) $24
Sérieux Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2023
★★★★½
“Serieux” (pronounced sa-ryce) is French for “serious”. This vivacious wine was blended principally from malbec and mourvedre. Bright, light pink, it is fresh, lively, crisp and dry with very good intensity of strawberry and watermelon flavours and a tightly structured, crisp finish that lingers well. (From Askerne winery.) (13.5% alc/vol) $25
Smith & Sheth Cru Heretaunga Rosé of Syrah 2023
★★★★½
Pale pink, this is a single-vineyard blend of syrah (91%) and viognier (9%), grown at Mangatahi, hand-picked, cool-fermented in tanks and aged on its yeast lees for over a year. Mouthfilling and fresh, it has gentle strawberry and spice flavours and shows excellent delicacy and depth, lively acidity and a dry finish. (13% alc/vol) $40
Taylors Promised Land South Australia Rosé 2022
★★★
Still lively, this medium-bodied Aussie rosé has a pink, slight-orange hue. Peachy, slightly strawberryish and spicy with a dry finish, it has plenty of flavour. (12.5% alc/vol) $13-$17
Te Kano Central Otago Rosé 2023
★★★★½
This easy-drinking pinot noir-based rosé was estate-grown at Northburn in the Cromwell Basin. Bright, light pink, it is fresh, full-bodied and finely balanced with excellent depth of peach, strawberry and spice flavours and is dry and smooth. (13% alc/vol) $23-$33
Terra Sancta Special Release First Vines Pinot Noir Rosé 2022
★★★★★
This thought-provoking wine is one of New Zealand’s highest-priced rosés to date. Hand-harvested from vines planted at Bannockburn in 1991 and 1995, it was fermented and aged for 17 months in old French oak puncheons. Pale orange, it is weighty and savoury with fresh peach, apricot, strawberry and spice flavours and shows unusual complexity, balanced acidity and a fully dry, very long finish. (13% alc/vol) $55-$60
Tohu Nelson Rosé 2024
★★★★
Bargain-priced, this attractively scented wine is a blend of pinot noir and pinot gris. Bright, light pink, it is mouthfilling with vibrant strawberry and spice flavours, shows excellent delicacy and depth and has a finely balanced, crisp, dryish finish. (13% alc/vol) $15-$19
Two Paddocks Central Otago Pinot Noir Rosé 2023
★★★★★
Certified organic, this distinctive rosé was estate-grown and hand-harvested at Bannockburn and Alexandra and handled in stainless steel tanks and seasoned French oak barriques. Bright pink/light red, it has rich, vibrant, cherryish flavours woven with lively acidity and a dry finish. Vigorous and finely balanced, it offers top drinking. (13% alc/vol) $35
Two Rivers Isle of Beauty Rosé 2023
★★★★★
Grown at five sites in the Southern Valleys, this is a highly refined Marlborough blend of pinot noir, syrah and viognier. Pale pink, it has vibrant, very generous strawberry, watermelon, peach and spice flavours, shows excellent delicacy and has a dry, harmonious finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $22-$25
Villa Maria Private Bin Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2023
★★★½
Offering good value, this pale pink, merlot-based rosé was blended with smaller amounts of syrah, malbec and other grape varieties. Fresh and lively, it has good depth of peach and watermelon flavours, gentle spicy notes and a basically dry, crisp finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $14-$16
Waiheke Road Waiheke Island Rosé 2023
★★★★½
This is a lively, merlot-based rosé with a splash of syrah. Bright, light pink, it is fresh and vibrant with generous peach, strawberry and spice flavours, a gentle touch of tannin and a dry, lingering finish. (From Awaroa Wines.) (13% alc/vol) $30
Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir Rosé 2024
★★★★★
Bright pink with fresh, inviting scents, this single-vineyard wine was hand-picked at Pisa in the Cromwell Basin. Finely crafted, full-bodied and fleshy, it has vibrant peach, strawberry and watermelon flavours, shows excellent delicacy, depth and harmony and has a dry, smooth finish. Already delicious, it offers top drinking through 2025. (14% alc/vol) $32
Wooing Tree Central Otago Rosé 2023
★★★★★
This invitingly scented, immaculate wine is from pinot noir, estate-grown and hand-harvested at Cromwell. Bright, light pink, it has peach and watermelon flavours, shows excellent delicacy and vibrancy and has a dry, lingering finish. (13.5% alc/vol) $30-$34