I would not call myself a wine snob, but for me, rosé is a cut above any other variety. Here, editor Trudi Brewer shares her favourite pink wine, and so does our well-versed wine writer Joelle Thomson. We hope this helps you discover something new or find the right fit for your palette.
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With global wine consumption down, rosé continues to flourish. And while it may not suit everyone’s taste, it’s either light, refreshing, and dry or rich and sweet, but both are synonymous with sunshine and holidays. While there are some exceptional rosé wines out there, you are generally a blush or bold rosé advocate. It is not an easy wine to make. It requires good-quality grapes and prudent winemaking skills. It’s a balancing act of leaving the juice of crushed red grapes with their skins for anywhere between two and twenty-four hours to extract just enough colour and flavour to tint the wine. Not to mention the different grape varieties used in rosé making. Each choice adds a different tint, creating an excellent appeal to different tastes. With so many more rosés on the market, today it’s tricky to navigate which rosé is worth the money. That’s why our wine writer and I have gathered some of our favourite blush and berry-inspired wines for you to step up your rosé game, or find something new. Read on to learn more.
Joelle Thomson recommends
If you’re smitten by pink wine, you’re in great company because rosé is growing in popularity, which is driving production and sales on a global scale. Rosé has been outselling white wine in France for the past 12 years and is now nudging red wine sales too. It’s enormously popular here in New Zealand too, with more wineries making rosé and drier styles being the main order of the day, because they taste light, refreshing and fruit-driven driven but can also have a little bit more body than a light white wine. Quality rosé also has a hint of tannin (the natural compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems, as well as in oak barrels), which adds structure and a touch of depth to the taste.
Seifried Rosé Nelson, $15
Seifried Estate has a fantastically long winemaking history and is one of the oldest wineries in the South Island. Founded by Austrian-born Hermann Seifried and his Kiwi wife, Agnes. Today, it is run by their children, who made this deep pink, rosé with its fruity berry flavours of crushed raspberries and strawberry jam, so delectable. There’s a slight edge of sweetness on the finish, and it has lovely balance. Enjoy this new 2024 edition lightly chilled.
Graze with: Dessert, like macarons, think sweet, soft and delicious
Dine with: Smoked salmon salad.
Rabbit Ranch Rosé, $22
Rabbit Ranch is best known for its lively Pinot Noir, which is so popular that there is now an entire range of Rabbit Ranch wines, including this fruity, light-bodied rosé. This 2024 edition is a slightly sweeter aromatic style with flavours of cherries, sweet plums and candied strawberries – finishing on a crisp, fresh note. It’s very easy to drink, lightly chilled.
Graze with: Soft cheese and seed crackers
Dine with: tomato-based creamy pasta or mushroom risotto.
Adeline Rosé, $25
This vibrant, beautiful southern French rosé is precisely what you want in a light-to-medium-bodied, year-round wine. It has all the crisp, tangy vibes of red berries, dried cranberries, and red apples, which have inspired fresh, light-bodied rosés across the globe. This 2023 edition is excellent for drinking and pairs superbly with summer days and fresh salads.
Graze with: Fresh sun-ripened tomatoes, with basil on a warm baguette
Dine with: Tomato and thyme tart.
Dancing Water Rosé has been living up to its name this year, winning a silver medal and Rosé Producer Trophy of the year at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London for its Blanc de Noir. Ultra pale pink, this 2024 light-bodied rose is fresh in taste and made from Pinot Noir, lightly pressed to retain a light touch of colour. This wine is impressively dry and fleshy on the mid palate – a tasty, lively, lovely wine.
Graze with: Fresh brie and smoked mushroom paté
Dine with: Mushroom frittata with salad greens.
Trudi Brewer recommends
First up, I am not a wine connoisseur, but I am a rosé enthusiast. It’s my wine of choice, above any other, and for me, the darker the better. From my research, a dark rosé is created by saignée, the French word for bleeding, as a winemaker’s technique: a portion of red wine juice is drained off from a tank of crushed red grapes and added to create a concentrated, robust wine in both taste and colour. Traditionally, a Pinot rosé is dry and fresh, with floral notes—think red berries and melon —making it a fabulously versatile wine (which is why I drink it both summer and winter).
Rockburn Stolen Kiss, $27
If you like rosés, this wine will already be on your radar, not only for its delicious aroma, but also for its romantic name. This bold blush wine was born out of a cheeky moment back in 2006, when Rockburn’s winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis stole some Pinot Noir grapes. Destined for Rockburn’s Central Otago flagship wine, a Pinot Noir. Once added to this pink wine, its name has stuck. Fast forward almost two decades, and each vintage gets better in my eyes. As a limited-edition wine in its ninth season, this 2025 was a smaller harvest than the volume in the past, but it is of the same outstanding quality. Concentrated, because it’s a Pinot Noir (Rosé) with notes of strawberries and cream, cherries, both red and black, with a touch of grapefruit zest. The perfect glass of rosé on a summer afternoon. Wine experts say it’s best served with another glass.
Graze with: Akaroa salmon on crusty bread.
Dine with: A spicy salami pizza, the medium-sweet taste balances the heat in any spicy dish.
Another gorgeous, bold rosé with hints of strawberry, raspberry, and melon comes from the Wairarapa Matahiwi, where the grapes are grown on a stony ridge outside Masterton. The free-draining soils and cool, dry climate are ideal for ripening the high-quality Pinot Noir used to make this pretty rosé. I am also a fan of the sister brand, ME by Matahiwi Estate, another full-bodied rosé that is both delicious and a great value.
Graze with: Grilled prawns with a lemon dijonnaise
Dine with: Grilled salmon with Greek salad.
I was introduced to this divine wine as a gift. My friends and family now know a Pinot Rosé is my go-to, and this was a wonderful surprise that has become a staple in my rosé cellar. The brand shares its raspberry, strawberry, and watermelon aroma and colour, but the additional sweetness comes from a red liquorice-like taste, which makes it so delightful. With a delicate whisper of dried herbs, rose petals and lychee, and a finishing touch of vanilla - do I need to say more? This is summer drinking for summer memories.
Saorsa Rosé of Syarh, $32
First was the naked label with the image of a blood red heart woven into grape vines. Next was the boutique vineyard run by a small, family-owned business that lives up to its name. Saorsa, which in Scottish Gaelic means freedom, liberty, and salvation. Translated into the beauty nature provides, from the Hawke’s Bay, with spades of time and thought in the mix. This rosé speaks to my taste—think strawberries and cream with crisp watermelon and rosehip —and hints of pepper. It’s bone-dry, rich in colour with an opulent Syrah-driven taste. Another triumph, in my eyes, for anyone looking for a full-bodied rosé that looks beautiful on the table, here it is.
Graze with: A charcuterie platter.
Dine with: Grilled vegetable salads with creamy aioli.
Bring colour and vibrancy to this busy room.