Trophy for Champion Rosé - "Stunningly charming"

Thornbury Rose

2023, Hawkes Bay New Zealand

Trophy Champion Rosé & Gold medal (New World Wine Awards 2023), Silver medal (NZ Int'l Wine Show 2023), 4 Stars (Michael Cooper)
"Stunningly charming, it’s beautifully scented with red berry, apple and floral nuances" (New World Wine Awards 2023)
Owned by Villa Maria with fruit sourced from premium Hawke's Bay vineyards (the benefits of being owned by the big boys!)
"We're incredibly fortunate to source our grapes from the heart of Hawke's Bay's premium wine growing region" (Simon, winemaker)

No wonder the dude on the front label is doing a little jig (that’s Dionysus by the way, Greek God of Wine) – there’s plenty to celebrate about when you’re owned by one of the most successful NZ wineries of all time (Villa Maria) and have access to their vast selection of top vineyards and grape growers all around the country.

Winemaker Simon says “We’re incredibly fortunate to source our grapes from the heart of Hawke’s Bay’s premium wine growing region.” Fortunate? There’d be winemakers out there that would give an arm and leg to tap into that resource and still see their wine hitting the shelves for under $15!

This latest 2023 release took out the Trophy for Champion Rose at the 2023 New World Wine Awards. Using fruit from the Tuki Valley and the world famous Gimblett Gravels regions this is quite the gong for a wine with an extremely modest price tag hanging around its neck.

Simon said “It’s an exciting wine from a very weather-challenging vintage. We picked the grapes two to three weeks after the cyclone and made good wine. That’s a really positive thing for Hawke’s Bay. The rose is consumer friendly, it’s not too technical, and will appeal to a broad range of wine drinkers.”

Chill it down, bust a bottle out of the fridge and see if you can taste the sublime red fruits that Simon reckons this is all about. Creamy strawberries, raspberries and plums. Yum-oh!