A Half Dozen Rosés $89.94 + tax
A Dozen Rosés $161.89 + tax
A great alternative to actual roses this Mothers Day!
The days are getting longer, the weather is warmer, peepers are peeping, tulips have popped, and we find ourselves amongst a sea of Rose which can only means one thing- Spring. In preparation we have selected a diverse selection of some of our favorite roses. Mix packs include 1 bottle of the following:
Serra Lori Argiolas, Gobelsburger, Coeur Esterelle, Bonny Doon Vin Gris De Cigare, Chateau du Rouet, Jolie Folle (1L).
Half A Dozen Rosés: $89.94 + tax
A Dozen Rosés: $161.89 + tax (2 bottles of each of the above)
Local wine educator and contributing West Side Wine Magazine writer Ertan Sener wrote the below article on how to maximize the rose drinking experience.
“There are no standards of taste in wine, cigars, poetry, prose, etc. Each man’s own taste is the standard, and the majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard,” -Mark Twain, 1895. I remember this quote every time I taste, especially when I am choosing wine for others to enjoy. The one style of wine that is becoming easier and easier to suggest, but still might get a pause and a raised eyebrow when suggested is…rosé. No no no…not that sweet pink stuff that you have to get when your Great Aunt comes over for the holidays (and even that is okay, refer to the opening quote!), but that wonderful, dry, refreshing wine when chilled is the bridge of enjoyment between white and red. Let’s take a Wine 101 moment to explore the world of rosé in three easy steps.
Step 1: Sight
What does a wine maker have to do to get their wine to blush? Oh stop, you know, get that perfect pink hue. Well, remember that all the color of wine comes from the skin of the grapes, the anthocyanins. So, no skin contact, no color in the juice. White wine can be made from red grapes, remember Champagne. There are a number of ways to make rosé, but today there are basically two preferred methods. The first is to keep the skins in contact with the juice for a short time, a short maceration. This could be as little as a few hours, up to a couple of days. Depending on the grape variety will depend on how long this process will take, for some grape varieties have higher anthocyanins than others. For example, in the south of France, where the mediterranian climate calls for the refreshing qualities of rosé, the grape most commonly use to make rosé is the red grape Grenache, since it is slightly lacking in anthocyanins. The second method is to actually bleed (saignée) small amounts of finished red wine into some finished white wine, to get the desired hue. The colors of rosé are very beautiful! They range the spectrum of pink from very light, almost unpersevible, to a light red. Well, time to move to second step.
Step 2: Smell
Remember to take time to stop and smell the rosés! The over all smell of each wine is as unique as its color and taste profile. Get your nose really in there to discovery all the wonders of rosé. The “nose”(the bouquet and aroma of the wine) can be as pretty as the color. You’ll be amazed of all the components the nose might contain. Wild Cherry, Pink Grapefruit, Raspberry, Black Pepper, Herbs, Pears, Peach, Passion Fruit, Orange Blossoms, Floral, Wild Strawberries… see what I mean. That is just a short list of perfumes that will jump out of the glass. Well time to help the wine to the third step.
Step 3: Taste
Rosés are a great wine for this time of year when temperatures are rising, and it might be too hot for a glass of red. The taste of rosé, depending on the grape variety or varieties used, could reflect the similar scents that are on the nose. Besides the reflection a great refreshing fruit flavors, delivered over the palate with this dry wine, is the texture or mouth feel. Rosé is meant to be served chilled so it immediately perks up the palate, then the senses are surprised by the wonderful reflection of red fruit the flavor has to offer. All this pleasure is contained in a liquid that has a creamy texture that covers the taste buds in all its beauty. Rosé is a fantastic choice for an endless list of food pairings. Perfect pair for anything in the picnic basket, especially any mayonnaise based dressings or spreads. Chicken salad, egg salad, aiolis, deviled eggs, you get the picture. Rosés are great with salads and can stand up to many styles of salad dressings. Just because it’s pink, doesn’t mean it is not tough. Rosé can stand up to certain foods that are not wine friendly such as artichokes and asparagus! Flank steak, sure! Chicken, of course! Pastas with a light tomato cream sauce, um…YUM! There are really no bad pairing with rosé, just some that are better than others. When whites are not enough and reds are too much, I tend to think pink, rosé that is.
Rosé definitely has its place in the color wheel of wine. Have fun this season trying the variations on a theme with all the rosés there are to sample. Rosé is that no brainer, when you are looking for that perfect wine to pair with an outdoor concert, grillin’ at a picnic, or just relaxing on the front porch this summer season. If the color pink makes you stop and think you are setting yourself up to be teased, remember the words of former rocker now wine maker Charles Smith, “Yes, You can drink rosé and still be BAD *SS!”
Cheers!
This past Saturdays New York Times featured a great article about Bordeaux. There was once a time were both sommeliers and consumers had a general disdain for the region due to higher prices (and future allocation structures) and lack of accessibility; but in true ironic (what some might call hipster) fashion what was once so uncool to drink, now is considered cool. This recent acknowledgement of the importance of the region’s history and new interest and appreciation of these wines couldn’t come at a better time. The 2009 vintage produced fruit forward accessible wines and with many bottles not only great representations of Bordeaux, but also falling into substantially lower price points than in the past. There is no better time to get back into Bordeaux.
Pierre-Yves has rapidly become a star in Cote de Beaune and is now considered one of the pre-eminent young producers of White Burgundy. His choice to use larger demi-muid barrels and eschew the use of battonnage, makes each one of his bottlings a clear expression of its terroir and a study in mineral-driven Chardonnay. The Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey wines are always one of the highlights of the Skurnik (imports) portfolio tasting where amongst all the noise and other great wines they standout with their intricate detail, grace, balance, and authenticity. Todays edition of the Wall Street Journal featured a great article about PYCM. 
