Saturday, July 25, 2009

Pink.

Wow! Here it is, almost August, & I've barely talked about what I've been drinking, if at all! That's just not right, so since I have a few minutes this morning (shhhh, don't tell the puppy), I'll fulfill my promise from the last post.

It's no secret that Doug & I are ardent fans of rose'. (Not White Zinfandel or the dreadful Pink Catawba & blush wines that many local wineries make, but good, dry rose'. There's a huge difference.) It's the perfect solution for red wine lovers that want something cooler & lighter during the warmer seasons. There's simply no better wine to sip on during any kind of summer weather, & most of them are very food friendly. I'm not going to try to convince you that I'm right (because I already know that I am), you're either going to find out for yourself or not. They don't all taste the same, & some suit other foods more than others. If you don't discover a rose' that you like, that's ok -- more for us!

While I'm not going to name all of the different bottles of rose' that we've enjoyed this year - there have been quite a few - I can share some of our favorites with you. Let's start naming names, shall we?

The rose' that we've bought more of than any other this summer - & the wine I promised to write about in my last post - is the 2008 Charles & Charles Volume II Rose' out of Washington State. One of the winemakers is Charles Smith of K Vintners...you know, the guy that makes Kung Fu Riesling, Velvet Devil, Holy Cow, & Boom Boom, among many others. He's one of our favorites, & quite a character in person. Ah, but I digress, so let me get back to this wine. It's made from Syrah, & is possibly the lightest & crispest rose' from that grape that we've ever had; I find it to be very similar to those out of Provence. Very pretty, pale pink color. The nose is lovely -- strawberries, flowers, & just goodness -- & that first sip is more strawberries, raspberries, & a wonderful acidity. Bone dry. I absolutely love this stuff, & the price makes it even more lovable...you can usually find it for under $12.

Another wine that has captured our heart is the 2008 Lucy Rose' of Pinot Noir from Lucia. This is a completely different animal than the Charles & Charles, & you can tell that just from looking at it. The color is much more vibrant, & the wine is very flavorful & fruity. Our friend Amy says it goes down like Kool Aid, & we agree! Like most rose', strawberries are the most prominent aroma & flavor, but there's more going on in this wine. Watermelon, maybe some kind of peach, I don't know. What I do know is that it's fantastic, & a downright delightful pairing with pork from Pappy's Smokehouse. Mmmmm...it's a little early in the day, but I'm starting to get hungry for barbeque.

The 2008 Crios Rose' of Malbec is perhaps the greatest value out there & it pleases everyone. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as winemaker Susana Balbo knocks it out of the park with everything that she makes. For about $11 or less, this can be yours, & it'll be a hit anywhere you take it!

Toad Hollow's 2008 Dry Rose' of Pinot Noir "Eye of the Toad" -- for about $10, this wine is a winner. We love it, & like the Crios, it's very consistent in quality year-to-year. Grab it, you won't be sorry!

We're also very fond of the 2008 Boxcar Rose', made largely from Syrah with a little Pinot Noir thrown in for good measure. It's also a steal for about $13.

You've probably noticed that all of these wines are 2008...while there are still many 2007's on the racks, I'm going to ignore those. Rose' is not meant for aging, & I've had some less than stellar experiences with some favorites from last year. Blech.

So many, many wines, so little time. I've got a lot to do today, so I'd better get to it!

9 comments:

Thom said...

So if I can paraphrase, "All we are saying, is give Rosé a chance.” I am intrigued by some of these… must try.

Claire Uncorked said...

I could've saved a lot of keystrokes if I'd only used that line! And yes, you absolutely must try! I wouldn't recommend bad vino, you know me better than that...

Hopefully, there will be more to come. And then...red wine "season"!

Thom said...

How did I miss the obvious? It is "Give PINK a chance..." Somtimes I can be so dense... maybe I need some pink.

PQ said...

you're back! i've missed you in the blogshpere.

-Pamela

PS you'll be very happy to know that michael is becoming a huge red fan- shiraz is his current fav.

joetalk said...

What are your emotions around a white merlot?? I've found that this summer and LOVE it . . .

Claire Uncorked said...

Joe Joe, in my opinion, White Merlot is the same thing as White Zin...it's far too sweet & syrupy for me. But hey -- if YOU like it, then that's what's important, & that's great. I'll just bring my own wine if we ever meet. :)

LucyinStLou said...

We just had the Charles & Charles. It was fantastic!

Angie said...

Holy crap it is a small world! I went to Word of Life lutheran. Did you go there? I'm 37, I wonder if I knew you??? can you email me at arfive@sbcglobal.net with your name and I'll tell you mine?

Danny said...

I like rose' wines too. My benchmark for them is Tavel. I don't know if you have ever had it, but to me it represents exactly what a rose' should be. We make a rose' out of Chambourcin every year that is pretty close, with excellent cherry fruit and crisp acidity. Chilled with a picnic, rose' is simple but exactly the right wine for the summer season. I agree with you on the Crios'-best buy that I could recommend.