‘Tis the prime time to toast the sunny season with a glass of gloriously pink rosé, and we can’t think of one we’d rather drink more right now than the sensationally sippable Butterworth Regatta Rosé.

Inspired by decorated sailor Brad Butterworth’s fond memories of sailing in Southern France, this Martinborough-grown Pinot Noir rosé is fresh and dry with hints of strawberries, cream and watermelon.

While the Butterworth family is, of course, renowned for its sailing prowess, their turn as the new custodians of Julicher Vineyard is not out of the blue.

With viticultural heritage dating back to the founding days of the New Zealand wine industry, the late wine visionary Romeo Bragato described the family’s wine production as ‘equal, and very likely superior, to any wine imported into the country’ during the late 1880s and early 1900s, and the original 1890’s vineyard property is still in the family today.

Planted in the soils of Te Muna, all Butterworth Estate wines are produced onsite, and made with a light touch by winemaker and biotechnologist Martin Bell. The Regatta Rosé is made from two sites, the Butterworth Julicher homeblock on Te Muna Road and Jock’s Block on the Martinborough Terraces, from hand tended, handpicked grapes that were selected for the wine based on their superior flavour.