TURNING HEADS
- FROM THE BEGINNING
turning heads (phrase)
to attract a great deal of attention or interest
Phil and Chris Rose, founders of Rose Family Estate, have been turning heads since 1978.
They were originally growing lucerne for export on their family farm, but with global factors squeezing their existing farming operations, they decided to plant grapevines on the free-draining, open plains of the lower Wairau Valley, in Marlborough, New Zealand. Planting vines in this region was not permitted and many of the local residents and farmers couldn’t imagine viticulture benefiting Marlborough. The Rose’s application was met with 56 objections and a long protracted legal battle began.
They fought hard, coming up with new reasons and evidence of why grapes would be good for this region. Eventually they were able to overcome strong and prolonged opposition; obtaining consent to plant their first grapevines in 1978. In true pioneering spirit, they bravely began hand planting vines whilst raising their family of five young children.
Their determination that viticulture could be a successful industry for Marlborough became pivotal in changing the course of the region’s wine history. True to Phil and Chris’s vision, the vines loved the stony, yet fertile soil, thriving in the hot Marlborough summers and crisp winters.
After contract growing grapes for other wineries for a number of years, Phil and Chris made a bold decision to produce their own wines in 1991, which have been recognised globally ever since.
With demand for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc growing, it wasn’t long before the original vineyard, Home Block, was joined by another 13 vineyards which together make up the estate.
Today Rose Family Estate is one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded wine producers, exporting their wines all over the world.
GREAT MINDS PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
Since 1978 the Rose family have strategically increased their vineyard holdings, focusing on the northern side of the Wairau Valley, to ensure quality, stylistic consistency, integrity and supply.
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The estate vineyards now comprise 500ha with the majority located just 10 minutes from the winery; the furthest a mere 30 minutes away. This strategic plan ensures the grapes are harvested and processed within an hour of picking, maximising flavour concentration, freshness and quality.
Having their own harvesters allows them to pick at optimal ripeness, and coupled with estate owned vineyards, a purpose-built winery and bottling line, means that Rose Family Estate has total control of the winemaking process from vine to bottle.
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Each of the 14 vineyard sites have distinct flavour profiles that allow the winemaking team lead by Nick Entwistle to create the elegant, beautifully balanced wines, year on year.
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The winery, built in 2002, can crush up to 10,000 tons of fruit and is sited at the Rapaura vineyard, central to the estate.
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The winery also includes a state-of-the-art bottling line and warehouse allowing Rose Family Estate to produce 650,000 cases per year. That’s approximately 7,800,000 bottles of wine home-grown, meticulously made and sold around the globe.
SQF accredited (Safe Quality Food Institute)
STILL TURNING HEADS TODAY
Rose Family Estate is committed to not just mitigating but positively impacting the environment and people. We know this requires creative and innovative thinking.
Viticulturalist Hamish Rose and brother, Winemaker Sam Rose share a lifetime of experience in these vineyards, drawing on it every vintage whilst ensuring their innovations and actions are grounded in responsibility to the land.
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Rose Family Estate was one of the first wineries in New Zealand to be accredited by SWNZ. Launched in 1995, SWNZ is widely recognised as a world-leading sustainability program and was one of the first to be established in the wine world.
Many initiatives and practices are groundbreaking in the winemaking industry and lead the way for others to follow, with the team happy to share their knowledge and skills with other wineries.
Rose Family Estate have installed a state of the art wastewater treatment plant, so that 100% of the wastewater generated by the winemaking process can be returned back to the vineyard.
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Marlborough is renowned for its high sunshine hours and cool night time temperatures that help lock in the zesty flavours, giving crisp and fruity structure to the wines. A fine settled growing season produced wonderfully concentrated and expressive fruit. The near perfect weather conditions ensured harvest began in the last week of March and was completed by mid April.
FLAVOUR PROFILE
This Sauvignon Blanc has intense tropical and citrus aromatics and a vibrant acidity. Striking notes of nettles, pink grape-fruit and fresh currants leap from the glass. The crisply defined palate is underlined with minerality, lingering with guava and ripe pear.
VINIFICATION
Sourced from our family vineyards across the Marlborough region, these grapes were harvested in the cool hours of the morning, gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel vats. After blending, the wine was left to settle on light lees before bottling on the Rose Family Estate.
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WINE ANALYSIS
Alc: 13% pH: 3.03
RS: 3.0g/L TA: 7.5g/L
