Spring. It’s that time of the year that rose really starts coming into its own, though my own report card rates barely a D as I’ve had a bottle sitting in the fridge for the past couple of months, still forlornly waiting to be opened. That time of the year too when we begin to see the new releases; the number of 2025 vintage wines on the shelves steadily increasing as the 2024s sell through. This group of wines are just begging to be opened and enjoyed, as rose tends to do, so hopefully you will all be rather better than me and not leave them languishing in the fridge. 2024 Rua Central Otago Pinot Noir Rose Price RRP $27 Rating Very good to excellent Perfumed and fragrant, rose petal, strawberry, peaches and cream, very engaging. Strawberry and fruit pastille-led palate, a fruit kernel- like bittersweet aspect keeps this nicely dry, while there’s good mouth-feel and plentiful depth. A nicely crisp tautness on the close. Full of flavour, just begging to be opened and enjoyed with abandon. www.mora.co.nz 2024 Mora Bannockburn Pinot Rose Price RRP $43 Rating Excellent Freshly cut apricot and nectarine with a dusting of icing sugar, savoury nuances, a quiet subtlety yet lots going on. Hard candy, strawberry, excellent chew and grip adding to the textural impact, closing quite dry. Comes across as a little more serious. The palate fleshes out, lending creamy richness, yet the bright acid line keeps this fresh and bright. www.mora.co.nz 2024 Rabbit Ranch Central Otago Rose Price RRP $22 Rating Excellent Attractive nose of stone fruits and wild rose, some stony mineral, hints of perfume swelling, baked apple later. The palate is crisp, dry, supple roundness yet good grip by contrast with a refreshing bittersweet quality. There’s a crunchy juiciness along with a wee touch of salinity, which gives the close an attractive, licking- your-lips-like quality. www.rabbitranch.co.nz 2025 Dunnolly North Canterbury Pinot Noir Rose Price RRP $19.99 Rating Excellent Roasted strawberries and cream, plum, a savoury aspect. There’s youthful tautness to this in a nice way, linearity as the flavours carry right through the mouth, driven by strawberry and a touch of spice, with a long, dry finish. Generosity of flavour, now hints of cracked pepper and spice on the close. Youthful but already very tasty drinking. www.dunnolly.co.nz 2024 Hawkshead Central Otago Pinot Rose Price RRP $39 Rating Very good to excellent Powerfully fragrant nose, rose petal, lychee, musk, a deeper register to the fruit with mandarin and orange zest. The palate takes another tangent, graphite and earth mingling with strawberry, quite mouth-filling. Initially thoughts that it could be a crossover to a light red, but its rose credentials win the day. Fruit sweetness yet a tangy close snap this back to a drier finish. www.hawksheadwine.com 2025 Riverby Estate S.V Marlborough Rose Price RRP $24 Rating Very good to excellent Quite aromatic, rose petal, fruit pastille, musk, all dusted with icing sugar. Stone fruits lead the palate, strawberry, a seasoning of cracked pepper, it has richness without heaviness. Really nicely balanced, great length and just quietly moreish. The stone fruit notes grow with air — you could readily have another glass of this. www.riverbyestate.com
