Darnault + Easthope Hawkes Bay Merlot Rose 2022
About the wine
Ben and Rod join forces again!
- "Like our Sauvignon Blanc, Ben and I like to think our new Merlot rosé captures the best of Kiwi and French style equally! From Ben’s influence comes the colour and texture, but we've combined it with the Hawke’s Bay grapes to retain that classic NZ fruity character.
- It's from a single vineyard planted by one my early mentors – I remember the day he planted the vineyard, I was about 15 years old. It produces low yields of immaculate Merlot. Ben and I discussed the style extensively - achieving the desired colour, complexion and texture was very much led by Southern French style and Ben's years of experience. It's a real first for New Zealand rosé .
- It's a lovely salmon pink colour. Aromatically it has a little floral lift with rose petal notes to the fore, combined with some lime dust like mineral notes. It is dry but has that pronounced strawberry like fruit character. Very classy."
Rod Easthope, Winemaker
Best before
Drink now to 2024
Serving advice
Serve well chilled, at 8-10°C
Food match
Have with tuna, salmon or duck dishes
Contains sulphites
Wine profile
Meet the winemaker - Rod Easthope
- Rod downed tools at one of New Zealand's most iconic wineries, to set-up-shop alone, and luckily for us, he knows the whereabouts of the very best grapes that Hawke's Bay and Central Otago have to offer.
- He has rave reviews from journalists, wines dripping in medals and oodles of Parker Points under his belt, and thanks to Angel funding and backing, he's now making wines exclusively for you.
- Using his prize fund from being crowned your Winemaker of the Year 2014, Rod was able to add a stunning Gisborne Chardonnay to his range. Years on and his wines never fail to impress - they don’t call him Rod the God for nothing.
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