Expectations are rising with the news that the famous French winery Edmond de Rothschild Heritage Wines has acquired one of New Zealand’s most successful southern wineries. Wine writer Joelle Thomson shares the news - and some of their finest 2022 wines.

There is a little taste of France in Otago that I could not be more excited about. This luxe-y French winery already owns a Marlborough winery and has now acquired 52 hectares of precious land in Central Otago’s Bannockburn region, home to the Akarua Estate vineyard. Edmond de Rothschild Heritage Wines has taken over a well-known winery, founded in 1996 by former Dunedin mayor Sir Clifford Skeggs, who confirmed the sale to the Rothschild group late last year. Akarua is now destined for full organic certification, and the plans are to produce over 60,000 bottles of organic wines every year. This iconic southern brand will join an impressive international stable of wineries owned by Edmond de Rothschild Heritage, including wineries in France, Spain, South Africa, Argentina and now one of the most stunning parts of New Zealand, Otago. The Bannockburn winery has its official opening in mid-April and will be at BeautyEQ to share this incredible destination - and, of course, the wines. Here is a sneak peek of the 2022 collection, including two great whites from the country’s most significant prominent region - the most widespread grape- and a gorgeous French-style dry rosé from our deep south.

Rimapere Single Estate Sauvignon Blanc, $30

This bold, fresh new Sauvignon Blanc is full of citrus flavours with aromas of lemon juice, ripe grapefruit and hints of tropical fruit such as mangos and passionfruit. It tastes youthful and drinks well now but will evolve over the next six months into a more fleshy, more expressively flavoursome dry Sauvignon from the country’s biggest wine region, Marlborough.

Graze with: Warm toasted almonds with salt and olive oil.

Dine with: Salty, fresh home-made fish and chips.

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Akarua Central Otago Rosé, $32

Blush pink wines are all the rage as they take their stylistic cue from southern French rosés and tend to be dry in style. This wine is dry to the taste and balanced nicely with delicious, vibrant fruit flavours of fresh cherries, a hint of strawberry, raspberry and even a note of peach. The grapes were fermented in cool stainless steel to retain freshness, with a little additional Pinot Noir added for colour and depth at the end of fermentation.

Graze with: Melon and prosciutto or smoked salmon and sourdough crackers.

Dine with: Grilled fresh like salmon with hummus and microgreens.

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Rimapere Plot 101 Sauvignon Blanc, $45

Another delicious, weighty, expressive white deep in flavour and not your usual Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is made from hand-picked Sauvignon Blanc grapes, which were given light ageing on yeast lees following fermentation to add a feeling of richness in texture and accentuate savoury flavours as well as the beautiful citrus freshness that comes from the hot days and cool nights on the vineyards in Marlborough’s Rapaura region.

Graze with: Soft cheese served with seeded crackers

Dine with: Grilled John Dory (or any fresh white fish) with burnt butter.