New Zealand rosé wines: Top picks from Central Otago and beyond

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Rosé reached its global peak in 2019 and has since dropped by 1.7%, according to rosewinesworldtracking.com, which keeps track of how much pink wine is consumed around the world.…

Rosé reached its global peak in 2019 and has since dropped by 1.7%. Photo / Unsplash

Rosé reached its global peak in 2019 and has since dropped by 1.7%, according to rosewinesworldtracking.com, which keeps track of how much pink wine is consumed around the world. But never fear a little thing like a drop in consumption because it’s not standing in the way of rising production and higher prices.

It’s taken a while for yours truly to embrace pink wine, pale or not. Call me a wine nerd but I crave depth and have found it challenging to buy into the notion that pale pink wines can offer much of that. Over the past month, my tasting glass has seen the full gamut of rosés from $16.99 up to $50+ and, with few exceptions, the best wines cost more.

If pushed to name a favourite, I err towards chillable light reds such as Kloster Neustift Abbazia di Novacella St Magdalener, whose name translates to ‘the new abbey’. It was founded in 1142 and its vineyards are situated between 600 and 900m above sea level in Alto Adige in northeast Italy. St Magdalener is made from two obscure Italian grapes (Schiava and Lagrein) but it’s the fresh berry aromas, unmistakably dry style and that it suits being lightly chilled (and comes from one of the oldest wineries in the world) that make me like this wine.

Rosé can be any shade of pink, from hardly perceptible to pale red, according to the Oxford Companion to Wine. And here in New Zealand, most of it is pale and made from Pinot Noir, but not all.

Huntress winemaker Jannine Rickards makes a light red called Kuratea from Syrah (42%), Pinot Noir (28%), Chenin Blanc (17%) and Pinot Gris (13%). The whites are fermented on their skins and Rickards was inspired by the 2017 Foradori Lezer from northeast Italy; first made in a tricky year and captivating from the get-go.

Another interesting rosé is made by Rebecca Salmonds of Odyssey Wines. Her first 2025 Homer Sparkling Rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir with a smidgen of Pinot Gris for softness.

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