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Hunter’s Marlborough Rosé 2014

Hunter’s Marlborough Rosé 2014

Vibrant pink in the glass with hints of mauve, the pick of our rosé crop was described by John Belsham as having “presence and personality”. Delicate red berry and floral scents lead the way to a pristine, refreshing mouthful that starts with a dab of sweetness, yet finishes dry. All that is engaging and attractive about rosé is encapsulated in this bright, crisp wine. The panel’s suggested food match was fresh crayfish.

Top Wine Profile

A French Influence
Hunter’s winemaker (and also the nephew of the winery’s managing director, Jane Hunter – the pair are pictured together at left) James MacDonald describes our top wine as “Hunter’s Rosé 2.1”. “That’s because it’s the second vintage of our new style, which happened after I came back from doing three vintages in Bordeaux and suggested we change the way we do rosé,” he recalls. During his time in France, MacDonald had been tasting and drinking a lot of Côtes de Provence and Côtes de Gascogne, and had been impressed by their dryness. Hunter’s long-serving chief winemaker Gary Duke and the other member of the winery team, Inus van der Westhuizen, didn’t need much convincing to take a different approach to rosé, not least because the 1.0 series of Hunter’s rosé had become a hard sell. “It was darker and sweeter and people just didn’t want to drink it any more,” says MacDonald. “Freshness was the answer.” The new rosé is made using purpose-grown pinot noir grapes, with care given to keeping the alcohol level down at 13 per cent. Like the rosés he enjoyed in France, MacDonald says he sees the style as being a versatile food wine. “You can have it with almost every kind of seafood, but it would also work well with pâtés and terrines.”

  • Rosé
  • Marlborough - New Zealand
  • NZ $17.95
  • More info
  • Cellar: 1 year(s)
  • top 5
  • View the full tasting results
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