Esk Valley Artisanal Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Cabernet Franc Rosé 2021

Description

Dry, Herbal, Strawberry

"It's elegantly lifted on the nose showing red apple, ripe strawberry, lemon peel and green olive notes, followed by a finely expressed palate delivering juicy fruit flavours with vibrant acidity, finishing lingering and delightfully crisp. At its best: now to 2024" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2022

This full bodied dry Rosé is savoury and complex. Made from Cabernet Franc it showcases the herbal nature of the grape, its complex flavours ranging from a medley of red fruits to brambly herbal notes. Attractively pale in colour with a rich and dry mouthfeel it's the ideal wine for the bar or the dining table.

The grapes for this wine were sourced from a small 1.5 hectare plot of Cabernet Franc vines, planted in the Te Awa Vineyard on the western edge of the Gimblett Gravels. Planted in 1994 and 2003, the vines grow in free draining gravel soils with a very light layer of silt. The 2021 season was amongst the best of the last decade enabling us to hang the fruit late in the season with the intention of making a fuller bodied style of Rose.

Harvested at 22.7 brix the fruit was transferred to the winery as quickly as possible and pressed very gently to extract as little colour as possible. The juice was then settled bright before a slow and cool fermentation. Post ferment the wine was left for an extended period on its fermentation lees adding richness and texture to its sugar dry palate. The wine was bottled late in the pursuit of a more complex and food friendly style.