Wine expert Joelle Thomson temps us (it wasn’t that hard) with a selection of winter rosè and smooth pinot noir this month. Here’s why she rates these 2019 New Zealand wines, we think you must try this month.
Joelle Thomson BeautyEQ wine writer
“Concentrated dark fruit flavours, a dry taste and full body are supported by the structure of 12 months ageing in French oak barrels, which soften the silky style of this refreshing pinot noir.”
Ata Rangi Rosé 2019, $24.
This silver medal winning wine is dry, fruity and it’s got body to burn. No wonder this rosé outsells many others in specialist wine retail because it’s made from a blend of five grapes compared to most Kiwi rosés, which are made solely from pinot noir (the country’s most popular and planted red grape variety). By contrast, this is a blend of stauncher grapes, namely 36 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 28 per cent merlot, 16 per cent pinot noir, 16 per cent syrah and 4 per cent cabernet franc. Each one brings a different quality to the table, cabernet and syrah add structure, pinot brings elegance and merlot fleshes things out with her signature softness and plush fruit. This is a tasty rosé for all seasons.
Serve with: fresh seafood, such as Pacific oysters, or tua tua and a crisp green salad.
Graze with: A platter of fresh goat’s cheese, seed crackers and black olives.
Joelle’s rating: 17.5/20
Main Divide Te Hau Reserve Pinot Noir, $33.
A gold medal winning wine, it’s is a step up from the Main Divide Pinot Noir that many of us already know and love. It’s a reserve wine with a slightly higher price tag and far greater concentration of flavour, thanks to a smaller crop and earlier harvest than usual in the 2019 vintage. Concentrated dark fruit flavours, a dry taste and full body are supported by the structure of 12 months ageing in French oak barrels, which soften the silky style of this refreshing pinot noir. It drinks well now (in the largest glass you can find) and will also age well for another six to seven years. Te Hau Reserve Pinot Noir is named after Henry Te Hau Tapu Nui o Tu Donaldson, an ancestor of the Donaldson family who founded and run Pegasus Bay Winery today. The vineyard, like the winery, is in the Waipara Valley, in the heart of North Canterbury.
Serve with: Juicy slow-roasted chicken.
Graze with: A platter of hot smoked salmon or sardines, prosciutto, with goat cheese and olives.
Joelle’s rating 18.5/20
Trinity Hill Lost Garden Hawke’s Bay Rosé $30.
There’s something ever so romantic sounding about the Lost Garden wines, a new range produced by Trinity Hill in Hawke’s Bay; one of the region’s most respected wineries. This range of wines is made for early drinking; in other words, to enjoy right now rather than to age in the wine cellar. This 2019, dry rosé is 12 per cent ABV (alcohol by volume), light-bodied and refreshing, made from a blend of syrah and pinot noir grapes. It has a pale salmon colour, which indicates minimal skin contact time with the grapes to extract a light colour to match its light body and fresh red fruit flavours; think cranberries and strawberries. It’s zesty flavours add balance and freshness.
Serve with: Roasted baby beetroot with fresh goat’s cheese, greens topped with toasted walnuts.
Graze with: A mild soft cheese, such as Port Salut and fresh seasonal fruit.
Joelle’s rating: 17.5/20
