Terra Sancta Estate Central Otago Pinot Noir Rosé 2025

Description

Dry, Passionfruit, Raspberry

"Pale onion-skin. A savoury, zingy nose with light reduction which blows off to reveal white peach, rosehip tea and savoury marjoram notes against wild strawberry juice. Complex, intricate and long with strongly savoury, grapefruit pith and dried orange peel notes which evolve to szechuan peppercorn and pot pourri on the bone-dry finish. A little restrained today but there is excellent balancing acidity here with a tart cherry bite which promises well. This is an age-worthy Rosé" Stephen Wong, The Real Review, Dec 2025

The quality of the fruit and the vineyard is unmistakable, and unique in the world of New Zealand Rosé. The wine delivers exactly what you would expect from these vines. A luminous rose-gold hue reveals aromas of crushed flowers, orange blossom, mandarin, and fresh strawberries. The palate brims with bergamot, thyme flowers, red berries, and blood orange, layered over a mineral undertone. Textural, with cloud-like softness and a line of bright acidity, it carries a strikingly long finish. A sophisticated, balanced, harmonious—and above all—delicious Rosé.

Prioritised from farm to bottle, the core of this wine is 30-year-old, own-rooted Pinot Noir vines grown at the Terra Sancta Estate on Felton Road—identified as the best for Rosé. Over 70% of the fruit comes from Sarah’s Block, planted in 1995, with the remainder from Slapjack Block (planted in 1991) and Riverblock. All fruit is hand-picked. Nine years of organic, no-till regenerative farming—including slow winter sheep grazing and a permanent flock—have significantly improved vine health and grape quality, evident in the wine’s purity.

The 2025 vintage was like the journey of Odysseus—a series of challenges ending in triumph. Spring began warm and wet, with strong early growth, before a rare frost on 3 November cut yields across the region. Our sheltered sites fared better than most, though yields were reduced. From mid-November to February, a long drought set in, testing the vines with months of intense dryness. The deep roots of our old vines proved their resilience, producing fruit of striking quality. Harvest commenced on 25 March and unfolded slowly over six weeks, allowing exceptional selectivity in picking. The fruit that arrived was beautiful: concentrated, flavourful, and full of energy. The resulting wines show vivid character, depth, and balance.

The Pinot Noir was hand-harvested in 12 small parcels, each left briefly on skins to capture a touch of colour and texture. With 100% native fermentation and 65% of the ferment taking place in neutral French oak barrels and a large-format Garbellotto oak cask, the winemaking delivered depth, texture, and complexity. Bottled at Terra Sancta in September 2025.

Food Pairing: Seafood chowder, paella, roast chicken, blackened fish, and risotto are all elevated by Terra Sancta Rosé—as is life.