Tis the season... Photo: Getty Images Welcome to the final column before the short Christmas-New Year break for Fresh. I toyed with all manner of offerings today before returning to what I have been enjoying over some of the warm evenings of late: Rosé. There is something utterly joyous and summery about Rosé and one must grab the opportunities to sit on the deck with a glass, as all Dunedinites know that rain and a biting southerly could be just around the corner! Thank you for reading the columns this year and I wish you all a marvellous festive season and prosperous 2026. For those staying around, do enjoy revelling in some down time. For those heading away, safe travels and adventures. And don’t forget, as Arnie once said: "I’ll be back". 2025 Maude Central Otago Rosé Price RRP $30 Rating Excellent Aromas of strawberry, peach and gum leap from the glass, joined by spices and a light dusting of icing sugar. Gum notes to the fore on the palate, alongside peach, apricot and strawberry. Lovely intensity of flavour, great carry, hinting at the fruit sweetness yet nicely dry. With air florality grows on the nose, just brimming with flavour. www.maudewines.com 2024 Dancing Water Georgie Diamanté North Canterbury Rosé Price RRP $25 Rating Excellent to Outstanding Fragrant nose, fruit pastille, fresh cut herbs, a wisp of oyster shell. Tilts a hat to Provence, rather than typically kiwi. Texture and richness that is rather engaging; hard to pin down individual flavours as it’s all about the whole. A crisp, dry finish with great carry, actually rather lovely, begging for another glass. An uncommon grape, Scheurebe, taking a different path and doing so with flair. www.dww.co.nz 2025 Ruru Central Otago Rosé Price RRP $24 Rating Very Good to Excellent Attractive elegance and subtlety, perfume wafting over a core of roast strawberry. The palate adds fruit jelly and peach to the strawberry, ripe and fruit sweet yet attractively dry. Very nicely done, excellent length and looking super for drinking over the summer and beyond. This grows very nicely with air on nose and palate, the freshness now even more evident. www.ruruwines.co.nz 2025 Penkridge Farm Central Otago Pinot Noir Rosé Price RRP $29.99 Rating Very Good to Excellent Perfumed and floral, leading with rose petal and dried strawberry. Sweetly ripe mid- palate, strawberry again, summer berries, a touch of red apple, that fruit sweetness snapped into line by a hint of chewiness and a zesty, crisp close. A style that will reward those that crave that wee touch of sweetness. www.penkridgefarm.co.nz 2025 McArthur Ridge Lilico Alexandra Pinot Noir Rosé Price RRP $25.99 Rating Very Good to Excellent Perfumed gum notes lead, apple and strawberry follow. Richness and texture in the mouth continuing the journey begun by the nose. Dehydrated strawberry, apple skin, apricot, nicely balanced and integrated, fruit sweetness yet flowing to a long, dry close. This grows in the glass, great mouthfeel now, and very easy drinking. www.mcarthurridge.com 2025 Domaine Thomson Surveyor Thomson Central Otago Pinot Noir Rosé Price RRP $35 Rating Excellent A deeper colour and a deeper register to the nose, a touch of salinity, dark berries, a fleeting brambly quality. Creaminess to the palate, contrasted by some lovely chewiness, with a zesty undercurrent. The fruit more in the plum spectrum, a sense of grip and tautness to the finish showing a crossover to a light red style, perhaps? A red wine drinker’s rosé? www.domainethomsonwines.com
