Hands up if you’ve ever thought about making your own wine?
For those who enjoy the process of producing things from scratch, the idea might resonate, as it did for a trio of winemaking graduates who bottled their first wine this year, from Pinot Noir grapes grown in Martinborough.
The three graduates, Irene Noval, Matthew Walker and Chelsea Millar, studied a Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science together at the Eastern Institute of Technology in Hawke’s Bay.
As their studies and friendship deepened, so did their desire to make a wine under their own brand name. Enter ‘The Graduates,’ launched in March this year with the 2024 Graduates All Day Rosé.
The evocatively-named wine follows in the footsteps of dry southern French rosés, sales of which surpassed total white wine sales in France 12 years ago and still represent one of the fastest growing categories of wine styles across the globe.
Retail sales of rosé in New Zealand are also growing exponentially and continue to strengthen.
“All Day Rosé is about enjoying the moment. No Stress. After weeks of brand discussions, we decided that we wanted our first wine to reflect freshness and lightness, which is why we made a rosé,” says Noval, who is lives in Martinborough and was born in the Philippines.
“A former colleague introduced me to wine when we arrived in New Zealand in 2000 and I began to discover a whole new world of different flavours and aromas in the different varietals, so every time my family went on holiday, we visited wineries and enjoyed what they had to offer,” she said.
“I was living in Wellington when I found out about Martinborough and would drive over whenever I felt like I needed a short break.” The rest is history in the making. Noval studied at EIT, along with her fellow graduates, who are based, Matthew in Central Otago, Chelsea in Auckland.
The first All Day Rosé will be joined by two fresh new siblings from the 2025 vintage, both from Martinborough grapes.
“We are learning a lot about Martinborough’s terroir (the soils, the climate and all of the factors that go into winemaking in any given area) and feel there is so much to discover. When we feel the time is right, then we will get into making wine from other regions,” says Noval.
Next on the list is Central Otago but for now the trio have their hands full. Their next two wines will be a 2025 All Day Rosé and a 2025 Pinot Noir called Chillin’ Pinot.
Try this: 2024 “The Graduates” All Day Rosé RRP $25
The Graduates’ All Day Rosé follows the trend for pale pink with its light pink hue and dry flavours of dried red berry fruit. Fresh, light-bodied and fruity, without a hint of sweetness, this wine is dry, 13.2% alcohol and vegan-friendly.
