Methode Traditionnelle

Chardonnay

Sauvignon Blanc

Aromatic

Dessert Wine

Rose

Red Wine
 

Locharburn Pinot Rosé 2009

Rosé is possibly the best wine for picnics and buffets as it goes with so many different varieties of food. It is also a fun wine for celebrating and to be enjoyed chilled while young

With a good location for producing quality Pinot Noir grapes, it is not surprising that Locharburn’s offering is a Pinot Rosé. In fact, unlike some other Rosé wines, this is not made by blending different varieties, but is made from 100% Pinot Noir.

Locharburn’s vines sit on sandy loam, light free-draining soils 260 metres above sea level near the top of Lake Dunstan in the Cromwell basin. It is an area blessed with hot summers and long autumns, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly.
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The same care and attention was given to the fruit for this wine as was the fruit for Locharburn’s Pinot Noir label. The fruit for the Rosé was hand-harvested in early April 2009 and destemmed before being gently pressed to extract the juice. Fifteen percent of the juice was obtained by the soignée method whereby the juice is bled off the skins. It is less painful than it sounds. This portion of the fruit was also fermented in an older French oak puncheon to provide more mouthfeel and complexity.

The salmon -strawberry colour underlies the aroma of strawberry that I found combines with spice and floral notes in the bouquet in this wine. I found the Palate of the Locharburn 2009 Pinot Rosé to also contain flavours of strawberry along with grapefruit and citrus notes. It is a full bodied, fruity wine with a creamy texture and long, lingering finish. It is drinking well now and best served slightly chilled, preferably with a relaxing picnic on a warm late-summer’s day.

© Stephen Clark (reviewed 29/3/2010)
 

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