Mt Beautiful North Canterbury Rosé 2017

Description

The 2017 Mt. Beautiful Rosé is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Gris. Salmon pink in appearance with delicate floral notes and sweet red berry aromas on the nose. Hints of white peach and pink grapefruit on a dry palate that’s creamy in texture and has good acidic drive. This is a medium bodied wine with a considerable finish.

2017 was a good year for Rosé. The Pinot Noir portion (70%) of the blend was picked from Block N, which sits at an elevation of 70 meters above sea level, facing north on a gentle slope. It was picked on April 4th with low sugar levels and good acidity to retain crispness and vibrancy. The fruit was then destemmed and macerated for 24 hours to fix its color, followed by being fermented in tank and barrel. This Pinot Noir component gives the wine delicate and soft floral and berry notes. The Pinot Gris portion (30%) was pressed directly to tank, then settled for 24 hours before the relatively clear juice was racked and fermented in stainless steel. This adds a more robust yet subtle, savory quality to the wine. Twelve percent of the total blend was barrel fermented, bringing more texture and a creamy mouth feel. Fermentation lasted between 14 and 18 days at a closely monitored average temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. Mt. Beautiful winemakers aimed for a long fermentation to allow for clean, complex flavors to be exhibited.

Food Pairing: The Mt. Beautiful Rosé pairs beautifully with a goat cheese tart, prosciutto salad, fresh pan seared scallops and a warm summer’s day.