Winemaker Notes
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Organically grown
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The fruit of the Quartz Reef NV Methode Traditionelle Rose is mostly destemmed, foot-stomped, pressed and fermented. The fruit sits on the gross lees until October, then goes into tirage bottling. This wine has spent three years and three months on the lees. Aromatically, the wine leads with rose petals and strawberry, cranberry and pomegranate. Winemaker and proprietor Rudi Bauer describes the color as "a moment of sanctuary and bliss." The wine gives a sense of Pinot Noir tannin and phenolics yet remains gossamer fine.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Do you always reach for Champagne or ultra-premium California methode traditionnelle when the need for a sparkling wine arises? Well, well how about Central Otago. Simply a fine sparkling rosé that beats so many others, very classic in style. Give this one a try and your horizons will have been expanded! Light peach, faint pink color; attractive and classic red fruit and mineral in the nose, bright and crisp; medium bodied, lively on the palate; dry, excellent acidity, well balanced; tart strawberry flavors; lively aftertaste. (Tasted: May 20, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
Oranges, pomegranate, flowers and pink grapefruit on the nose. The palate is light-bodied with a finely beaded mousse and a refreshing dry finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
This dark copper rose consists entirely of Pinot Noir, and spends at least two years on the lees. There’s a toastiness from the aging, but also hints of berries and vaguely woodsy notions that give it definite Pinot character. Finishes long, with citrus and cream notes.
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Wine Spectator
The dried raspberry, lemon curd and Asian pear flavors are crisp and detailed, with notes of white flowers, five-spice powder and toast leading to a long, lingering, juicy finish. Offers an appealing mix of power and finesse.
What are the different types of sparkling rosé wine?
Rosé sparkling wines like Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and others make a fun and festive alternative to regular bubbles—but don’t snub these as not as important as their clear counterparts. Rosé Champagnes (i.e., those coming from the Champagne region of France) are made in the same basic way as regular Champagne, from the same grapes and the same region. Most other regions where sparkling wine is produced, and where red grape varieties also grow, also make a rosé version.
How is sparkling rosé wine made?
There are two main methods to make rosé sparkling wine. Typically, either white wine is blended with red wine to make a rosé base wine, or only red grapes are used but spend a short period of time on their skins (maceration) to make rosé colored juice before pressing and fermentation. In either case the base wine goes through a second fermentation (the one that makes the bubbles) through any of the various sparkling wine making methods.
What gives rosé Champagne and sparkling wine their color and bubbles?
The bubbles in sparkling wine are formed when the base wine undergoes a secondary fermentation, which traps carbon dioxide inside the bottle or fermentation vessel. During this stage, the yeast cells can absorb some of the wine’s color but for the most part, the pink hue remains.
How do you serve rosé sparkling wine?
Treat rosé sparkling wine as you would treat any Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and other sparkling wine of comparable quality. For storing in any long-term sense, these should be kept at cellar temperature, about 55F. For serving, cool to about 40F to 50F. As for drinking, the best glasses have a stem and a flute or tulip shape to allow the bead (bubbles) and beautiful rosé hue to show.
How long do rosé Champagne and sparkling wine last?
Most rosé versions of Prosecco, Champagne, Cava or others around the “$20 and under” price point are intended for early consumption. Those made using the traditional method with extended cellar time before release (e.g., Champagne or Crémant) can typically improve with age. If you are unsure, definitely consult our Customer Care team for guidance.
Home to the globe’s most southerly vineyards, which are cultivated below the 45th parallel, Central Otago is a true one-of-a-kind wine growing region, but not only because of its extreme location.
Central Otago is more dependent on one single variety than any other region in New Zealand—and it isn’t Sauvignon blanc. They don’t even make Sauvignon blanc there.
Pinot Noir claims nearly 75% of the region’s vineyards with Pinot Gris coming in a far second place and Riesling behind it. This is also New Zealand’s only wine region with a continental climate, giving it more diurnal and seasonal temperature shifts than any other.
The subregion of Bannockburn has enjoyed the most success historically but the area’s exceptional growth has moved to the promising regions of Cromwell/Bendigo and Alexandra districts. Central Otago is known for its fruity and full-bodied Pinot noir. With the freedom to experiment here, growers and winemakers are easily exhibiting the area’s great potential.