From delicate pink to velvet red, apricot hues to burnt orange, the colour palette for rosé wine is expansive. There is no standard colour to assess rosé by, however the pale salmon or apricot hued examples seem to be the most popular.
Rosé is best enjoyed upon release. Some can develop interesting complexities with the slightly more tannic and lees textured examples delivering some irresistible flavours.
Rosé can be produced from any red grape variety including pinot noir, merlot, tempranillo, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.
It’s an excellent choice for food pairing, too: it is an easy choice with cold cuts, salads, chilled soups, baked salmon, casseroles and cheese soufflé.
Dublin St Pinot Noir Rosé 2025, Martinborough
A delicious and serious wine with a bouquet of mineral and light red berry fruits, blossoms and mineral with a wet pebbles and clay idea. Dry, taut and crisp with a seam of light red berry fruit flavours, a pristine satin acidity and fine lees and fruit tannins for texture and mouthfeel. RRP from $32.
Dunnolly Family of Winemakers Pinot Noir Rosé 2025, North Canterbury
This excellent value wine has a blood orange and pink hue with a silver polish that leads to a bouquet and palate filled with flavours of plums and cherries, fresh strawberry and a mix of spice and crumbled stone mineral ideas. Taut, dry, salivating and varietal. RRP $19.99.
Alpha Domus The Heroines Rosé 2024, Hawke’s Bay
Apricot and peach, rose and red apple, citrus pith and raspberry leaf. A wine of impact and freshness with a brightness and purity of fruit. Balanced, dry, super-fine chalky textured fruit tannins. Medium+ acid line and length. The finish suggests flowers and apricot. RRP $32.90.
Poderi Crisci Rosé 2024, Waiheke Island, Auckland
Ripe, pure and fruity with a core of apricot and pear then red melon and a fine layer of dried herb. Nice weight, dryness and power as the wine touches the palate, flavours reflect the bouquet as well as red apple and rose. Best drinking from 2025 through 2027. RRP from $45.
Quartz Reef Bendigo Pinot Rosé 2025, Central Otago
A charming wine with a bouquet of flowers and red berry fruits, there’s a mineral and fine lees delicacy and distinctive sense of site and vintage. Ripe and fruity with flavours of red apple and cherry flesh, rose and red tea. crisp, balanced and well made. Best from 2025 through 2027. RRP from $36.50.
Auntsfield Single Vineyard Rosé 2024, Marlborough
Great colour and polish with a salmon and apricot hue leading to a palate of fresh yellow stone fruits and ripe grapefruit then suggestions of cherry and raspberry leaf. Crisp and dry with core fruit flavours adding fleshy sweetness and power. A wine framed by a decent acid line and fruit intensity, fine fruit tannins and a mineral stone quality. RRP $29.
Maude Rosé 2025, Central Otago
A very pretty delicate pink hue leads to a bouquet and palate of fresh raspberries and red cherry flesh. there’s a bright floral and mineral quality and exotic scent form lees adding complexity as well as charm. Delicious, crisp and dry with a plush mouthfeel and fine chalky texture with core fruit flavours at the fore. RRP $30.
Mt Beautiful Rosé 2024, North Canterbury
Fruits of raspberry and cherry, some red berry compote then rose and lees. Perhaps a touch of older barrel. Crisp and dry, some tautness and power with a frame of acidity and fine fruit tannins then textures from lees and phenolics. RRP $21.99.
