The first taste of summer has arrived with Rockburn’s highly anticipated ‘Stolen Kiss’ Rosé, returning to shelves for its 17th year.
It all started with a ‘stolen kiss’ back in 2006 with winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis ‘stole’ some Pinot Noir grapes that that were destined for Rockburn’s flagship Central Otago Pinot Noir, turning it into one of New Zealand’s most premium and sought after rosé wines. After a missed vintage in 2007, resulting in public outcry for the lack of Stolen Kiss, the cult wine has been consistently produced every year since.
This year, the highly anticipated rosé releases its smoothest, most palatable rosé to date, filled with fruity aromas that make this the perfect pour for New Zealand’s long-awaited summertime. The sweetly frivolous and fruity side of Central Otago Pinot Noir is bound up in this bottle of Stolen Kiss Rosé. Once unleashed into your glass its candy-floss and crème-brûlée aromas sashay into a flirtatious toffee-apple and simmering strawberry palate smeared with cherry lip-gloss.
Rockburn Wines winemaker, Malcolm Rees-Francis says, “During fermentation the intensity of the 2023 Stolen Kiss could not be contained by the winery, we could smell it halfway down the driveway; so approach with caution. One sniff may knock your socks off.”
