Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Floral, citrus nose on this French Chardonnay. The palate of this medium-bodied wine is rich with peach, ripe apple and Meyer lemon flavors. Creamy texture with nice minerality.
This is the entry-level Chardonnay by this prestigious wine house and at $16, it’s not only a nice example of French white Burgundy, it’s a very good value.
Pairings: Seafood, grilled fish, white meat and mild cheese.
Style: White Wine
Grape Type(s): Chardonnay Region: Burgundy, France
Price: $16
Summer’s finally here and warm days are among us. While sipping rosé wines during the summer isn’t anything new, what I’m really enjoying is how food-friendly rosés have become. Rosé, French for ‘pink’, describes a genre of refreshing wines, in various hue of pink and that are made using red grapes.
Here are some rosé wines I’ve sampled recently that range in price from value to special occasions.
What are some of your favorite rosé wines? Have you tried any of the above? Please let me and other readers know.
Cheers,
Veronique
A couple weeks ago, I attended a wine tasting focused on Gigondas wines. I’m not well-versed on these wines so really enjoyed the 10 wines we sampled and the open discussion from the group.
About Wines of Gigondas (Wikipedia):
“Gigondas is a French wine Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region of France. It is primarily a Red wine region, with a very small amount of rosé wine produced. No white wines carry the Gigondas appellation. Being a little brother of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the wine is moderately prestigious and can yield beautiful results when treated with care. Gigondas AOC wine is produced exclusively in the commune of Gigondas, in Vaucluse”.
Here are three of the wines we sampled that were my favorites along with my tasting notes.
2012 Domaine du Cayron ($35) – This wine was bright ruby in the glass. Big raspberry aromas with earthy notes. On the palate, this medium-bodied Rhone wine offered intense red fruit, black pepper and a bit of stone fruit flavors. Low to medium tannins, dry medium finish.
2003 Domaine Santa Duc ($30) – This wine’s best days were likely behind it but it still offered nice dark raspberry aromas with dark berry continuing on the palate but not in a powerful way. Tobacco, leather and pepper were still present on the finish but not in a powerful way like the others in the tasting did.
2010 Pierre Henri Morel ($30) – This wine was dark purple in the glass. Big dark berry aroma with woodsy, leather notes. On the palate there were big cassis/blackberry/stone fruit flavors with a bit of pepper and pumpkin pie spice on the medium finish.
There are two things to keep in mind with Gigondas wines: 1) let them age or decant the heck out of them 2) drink them with food, they need it and will be at their deliciousness apex with it.
Cheers,
Veronique
In the glass, the 1994 Chateau Troplong Mondot Grand Cru is the darkest of ruby with a bit of brick notes from the age of the wine. It was difficult to stop sniffing the spice-laced berry aromas to move on to take a sip – lovely, lovely nose. The palate offers berry, plummy and licorice driven with a roundness on the finish which offers just a bit of minerality.
This medium-bodied wine is likely near its peak with great structure and balance. I thank my friend Harry for sharing this beauty with us.
Pairings: Grilled meat, cheese course.
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Red Bordeaux Blend
Region: Bordeaux, France
Price: $65
Summer’s here and so are warm days and humidity. What summer also means is fun-filled gatherings, including 4th of July get-togethers.
Here is a list of five wines to pour during your 4th of July celebrations that are affordable and certain to please your guests:
Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé Cremant D’Alsace ($22): This lovely bubbly is coral/pink in color with the tiniest of bubbles. Light strawberry aromas with juicy, slightly sweet strawberry flavors that’s balanced by bright acidity. Serve this bubbly as your guests arrive to create a festive atmosphere.
2014 Two Lands Pinot Grigio ($14): Light and crisp with Meyer lemon flavors that finish on a zesty note. Nice summer sipper and great as an aperitif and with crudités.
2013 Esporao Vinha da Defesa Rosé ($15): This festive, bright pink wine is super food-friendly. Intense red berry and cherry aromas with bright fruity flavors. Perfect for a seafood boil and the cornucopia of flavors at a BBQ.
2013 Egger Ramer Schiava Gentile ($15): Fragrant with red berry aromas with ripe strawberry and cherry flavors. Great acidity making this wine very versatile with summer foods. Pair with charcuterie platter or even hot dogs.
Montes 2012 Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon ($15): Deep ruby in the glass, this wine offers blackberry aromas with notes of mocha and leather. It’s full-bodied and big on dark fruit and ripe raspberries with a nice touch of oak. This is your steaks/ribs/burgers wine.
Enjoy these summer wines and let me know if you try any of them!
Cheers,
Veronique
I’m a big fan of anything Lucien Albrecht wines and highly-recommend you familiarize yourself with them.
Appearance: Coral/pink in color with fine and small bubbles.
Nose: Light strawberry intensity with a hint of yeast.
Palate: Juicy strawberry continues with a hint of sweetness that’s balanced by bright acidity. Creamy yet crisp mouthfeel.
Assessment of quality: Lovely wine with a good balance of sweetness and acidity with a medium finish.
Readiness for drinking/potential for ageing: drink now, not intended for ageing.
Approximate retail price: $22.
Region of origin Alsace, France
Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir
Pairings: Grilled chicken. Spicy dishes. Seafood.
Style: Rosé Wine
Region: Alsace, France
Price: $22
This wine was provided to me for sampling and I am adding it to my repertoire as it’s truly enjoyable.
In the glass, this Bordeaux wine is brick red. The nose is cherry and blackberry aromas with peppery notes. In the mouth, it offers flavors of red berries and plum with leather and mocha notes. Medium-full bodied finish with some light tannins.
Pairings: Beef, cheese course, lamb, pasta with meat sauce
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Bordeaux, France
Price: $20
I sampled this wine at a tasting dinner and loved it as it paired well with just about everything.
In the glass, it’s a lovely semi-transparent raspberry color with brick around the rim. The nose is earthy with red berry aromas laced with a bit of oak. In the mouth, it offers flavors of dark cherry and raspberry with hints of vanilla. Medium finish with some youthfulness – drink soon.
Pairings: Duck/roasted poultry, pork, salmon
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir
Region: Burgundy, France
Price: $44
On a recent visit to Quebec, my dad dug deep in his cellar for this purely wonderful bottle. While I’ve read this wine should have drunk before 2011, its perfect storing condition extended its life. In the glass, it’s a beautiful brick color with the type of barnyard funk I absolutely love. In the mouth, it’s round with plummy fruit that’s held up nicely. Long gone are the high tannins typical of this grape.
Yum, just yum.
Pairings: Lamb, duck, mushroom-based dishes.
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Tannat
Region: Madiran, Southwest France
Price: $60
I’m always excited when I find a Bandol rosé on a by the glass at a restaurant. This affordable wine is full-bodied yet delicate with a beautiful light salmon color. The aromas of fresh fruit laced with a little citrus are intoxicating and it took me a bit to pull my nose out of the glass for a first sip. The beautiful fruit continues on the palate with hints of white flowers. Nice balance and acidity.
I need to buy a case of this for the summer as it’s perfect for sipping before dinner and is also very food-friendly.
Pairings: Chicken, fish, light pork dishes and served as an aperitif.
Style: Rosé Wine
Grape Type(s): 35% Mourvedre, 40% Cinsault, 20% Grenache, 5% Carignan
Region: Bandol, Provence, France
Price: $18
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