Jules Taylor 'The Jules' Gisborne Rosé 2023

Description

Dry, Strawberry, Vanilla

"Charming and inviting, the bouquet shows apricot, watermelon, lemon zest and white floral nuances, followed by a delightfully refreshing palate that's juicy and lingering. Focused and linear with a persistent vibrant finish. At its best: now to 2026" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Oct 2023

"Medium-tinted rosé with floral/rose petal, ginger, apricot and pear/tree fruit flavours. Bright, fresh, tangy wine with moderately intense flavours. Serve well-chilled to bring out the best in this appealing wine" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Nov 2023

The very palest of pinks. Lashings of strawberries, rose petals and pomegranates dance on the nose, alongside tropical notes of canteloupe with yummy hints of real vanilla ice cream. This dry Rosé packs a punch with strawberry and rhubarb compote flavours filling the palate. A touch of old fashioned custardy creaminess and a dry, refreshing finish make this an ideal summer’s day sipper that will leave you reaching for another glass. Serve chilled.

Merlot grapes for this wine come from silt/clay loam soils in the beautiful Patutahi Valley in Gisborne - the first wine region in New Zealand to see the rising sun each morning. However, the 2022-23 season was extremely challenging for our Gisborne growers, who had to be alert and agile throughout the season to protect their vines and avoid the disease threatened by the regular rainfall. A month or so prior to harvest saw the devastating cyclone Gabrielle rock through the region causing flooding and damage to some sites. It was a nailbiting season, but luckily our later-ripening Merlot survived the storms relatively unscathed and for this vintage, Jules supplemented the blend with some Pinot Noir grown in the Brancott Valley in Marlborough.

Bunches of Merlot were machine-picked in the early morning to keep the grapes fresh and flavour-packed in the cooler temperatures. Once at the winery, the grapes were crushed and pressed immediately. They were then gently pressed off the skins and fermentation was kicked off with an aromatic yeast. Temperatures were kept cool to preserve the delicate aromas. in 2023, we also harvested a parcel of Pinot Noir from Marlborough which was treated the same way as the Merlot. At the end of fermentation, the two wines were blended and settled for a time, stabilised and given a light filtration to preserve the beautiful pink hue and sealed with a screw cap for maximum flavour and freshness!

Food Pairing: Perfect for hot weather drinking, this wine is a great match for tasty summer salads - try it with a plate of fresh tomatoes and basil drizzled with olive oil, or with a platter of cured meats and antipasti. For something a little more substantial, try it served with pulled pork buns and a tasty watermelon or pineapple salsa.