House of Ball Romping Waipara Rosé 2017 $32 
House of Ball is a vineyard and luxury B&B property owned by Julian and Lynda Ball on Mackenzies Road in North Canterbury. Lynda is the instigator of rosé because she was a fan of the style and wanted one of her own. Julian, good man, obliged and here is their 50/50 blend of tempranillo and pinotage and yes indeed, it’s romping in every sense of the word. Big, bold and seriously dry and spicy, the fruit was crushed and spent 24 hours on skins to extract its crimson colour then the juice was basket pressed and fermented in barrels with wild yeasts. It has aromas of dark berries, anise, pepper and raspberry leaf, while the palate is big, tangy and there are a few elbows on the way down, but it’s a truly unique style that’ll have your hair curling in no time. www.houseofball.co.nz
