Merlot offers that wonderful ripe flavour of dark juicy plum and black cherry. Perfect to express as Rosé, with summery flavours of strawberry sherbet and just a hint of sweetness, this wine is dangerously enjoyable. A team favourite and a great way to start the party with delicious antipasti.
Pleasantly pale pink, this wee wine is a classy ensemble addition.
Our 2023 Rosé will be released in time for early spring.
The 2022 season was challenging, with significantly higher rainfall over flowering, again in January and 120mm in March affecting fruit set and brix accumulation.
It was certainly a worrying time, however the fruit thinning our team did earlier in the season paid off and the Merlot came through the bad weather well, with great flavour and wonderful acidity.
Our vineyards are accredited by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, while incorporating biodiversity, minimal herbicide and insecticide use. All the Thompson’s vineyards are dry farmed, no irrigation is necessary for our grapevines to thrive.
Growing: The clone 481 Merlot for this Rosé is sourced from our Patutahi Knight Road vineyard. The soil of this sub region is clay dominant with pumice layering in places. We hand-harvested to ensure only the best bunches are selected, on the 9th of March 2022 prior to heavy rain at 20.6 Brix.
The fruit zone is well leaf plucked to maximise air flow and sunshine penetration.
Winemaking: The whole bunches were quickly destemmed and then pressed immediately to retain just a blush of pink without bitterness from the skin. Lightly clarified juice is then fermented at cool temperature with aromatic yeast which maximises floral and berry notes on the nose and fruit intensity on the palate.
Analyses: Off dry with 6g//L RS, pH 3.2, TA = 6.5g/L and Alcohol 12.5%.
Delicious with antipasti, smoked duck and salmon, as well as retro (but perfectly made) prawn cocktails!
