2024 Belles d'Eguilles Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rosé

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I have to confess that I've been completely ignoring rosé season, as I think I may have only enjoyed one bottle this entire summer.  Well, now it's time to make up for my oversight, so tonight I've opened a bottle of 2024 Belles d'Eguilles Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rosé that I bought last month from Wines Till Sold Out.  I have previously reviewed the 2021 vintage and thought it was all right, but still a good value.  This vintage is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, signaling something crisp and refreshing is on the way for these last few days of summer.  The nose is a refreshing array of summer citrus and tropical fruit, grapefruit, apple and mango with hints of honey and some minerality.  The first sip is delightfully crisp and refreshing, with a cascade of citrus, honeydew, and mango, with hints of red berry and some mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is dry and crisp, a perfect ending for a wine destined for patio sipping.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it impressed me much more than the 2021 vintage.  This wine would be perfect for summer patio sipping (we have 4 more days of summer!) and would also pair well with barbecue, burgers and brats or fajita tacos.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some crispy skin salmon, steamed rice and asparagus.  Cheers!

2023 Wines of Substance Ro Rosé

Happy Sunday!  Well, even though it seems that summer is oh so quickly easing into fall, there are still a few weeks left in rosé season, and since it's hot and sticky here today I am going full steam ahead with a 2023 Wines of Substance Ro Rosé that I recently picked up at Costco.  This wine is made from Syrah sourced from the Buckshot Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is pale peach color in the glass, ideal for a nice rosé.  The nose presents aromas of tart apple, grapefruit and a bit of honeysuckle, that has summer written all over it.  Take a sip and you have an interesting complex of smooth summer fruit flavor, melon, peach, strawberry and a hint of citrus that isn't nearly as pronounced as the nose would suggest.  The tannins are well hidden, providing for a smooth dry finish that is very different than you standard crisp finish of a rosé.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely sipping wine that was also a terrific value at just $10.  This wine would pair well with summer evenings on the patio, caprese salad or lighter seafood dishes.  Tonight, I am making this a pure Pacific Northwest experience and enjoying this wine with a miso and sesame glazed wild Alaskan sockeye served with steamed rice and Italian pole beans I bought at the farmer's market.  Cheers!

2021 BigLITTLE Wines Open Road Rosé

Happy Sunday!  It's been bitter cold here, like so much of the country right now, so I've been huddling indoors, doing laundry and cooking and trying to stay warm!  Given that summer and rosé season seem so far away, I've decided to open a bottle of a Michigan rosé that some friends sent me for Christmas.  The 2021 BigLITTLE Wines Open Road Rosé is a blend of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Marechal Foch from the Leelanau Peninsula in northern Michigan.  So, let's see if this wine can bring back the summer!

The wine is a deep peach and rose color in the glass, just as you'd expect for summer sipping on the patio.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, melon and hints of apple, certainly bringing back some warm weather vibes.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of crisp and tart fruit, tart cherry, apple, and melon that will have you ready for a summer dip in the lake.  The finish is short, but crisp and dry, inviting you to sip this with a meal or just some conversation with friends.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely departure from many of the sweeter wines I've tasted from Michigan.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, tacos, pizza or smoked barbecue.  Tonight, I've taken a different path and am enjoying this wine with some coconut crusted cod, steamed rice and fresh asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2021 Feu Follet Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rose

Happy Sunday!  It's been a somewhat relaxing day as my cooking was largely completed this morning - more on that in a minute.  And now, for the second time in as many weeks, I've reached back to the wines of summer for an appropriate wine pairing for this evening.  The 2021 Feu Follet Coteaux d'Aix en Provence rose is a blend of Grenache Noir (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Carignan (20%) and Syrah (10%), and yes, I know that adds up to 110%, but it's what the label said so I don't have the information to correct the percentages, so we'll go with it (incidentally, this is the first time I've ever encountered a percentage blend that did not add up correctly!).  I bought this wine from Wines Till Sold Out last summer, meaning to enjoy it on the patio, but alas better late than never, so let's see how it's tasting in the winter.

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass, which seemed to be the trend for 2021 roses.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of citrus and strawberry, with undertones of lemon and hints of apple over the top.  Take a sip and flavors of melon, apple and peach dance on your tongue before easing into some modest mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is at first crisp, but then it smooths out to a lingering dryness.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it continues to evolve as you sip, and makes me sad that I didn't enjoy this wine while the patio furniture was still out.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer fare, from burgers and barbecue, to summer salads and seafood.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some split pea soup that's been simmering in the crock pot all day, made from the ham bone left over from the Christmas party, the richness of the soup is a perfect foil for this wine.  Cheers!

2020 Helix Rose of Sangiovese

Happy Friday!  It's been a busy week, and I am more than ready for the weekend, so tonight I've opened a nice summer rose, since the weather has been heating up again.  It's also Washington Wine Month (though I confess, reading on Twitter, it seems as though Washington Wine Month happens at least three or four times a year), so I've opened a bottle that I brought back from my vacation to Walla Walla last month.  The 2020 Helix Rose of Sangiovese is a wonderful rose wine based on Sangiovese sourced from the Royal Slope AVA of Washington (the Royal Slope was designated as an AVA in 2020, with a south facing slope that's much cooler than the Wahluke Slope to the south).  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a lovely, light peach color in the glass, in line with many recent Washington roses.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of peach, citrus and green grass that seem like a breath of summer to be inhaled.  Take a sip and you're greeted by a rush of crisp summer flavors, bright citrus, wild berry and vibrant herbs with hints of melon and apple.  The tannins are wonderfully integrated for a delightfully crisp, dry finish that lingers on the palate more than you might expect from a rose.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderful summer sipping wine that I will enjoy on the patio later this evening.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, lettuce wraps of Thai chicken, and of course seafood.  Tonight I am taking the classic approach and enjoying this wine with some herb crusted wild cod loins, along with some farro and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2019 Forgeron Cellars Pink Rabbits Rosé

Happy Friday!  As the summer heat has lingered this week, I figured there is no reason to cease the summer of rosé!  Tonight's wine is one I received in a wine club shipment for a virtual tasting, unfortunately it didn't arrive on time, so I was forced to open a bottle tonight.  The 2019 Forgeron Cellars Pink Rabbits Rosé is a rosé of Syrah from the Columbia Valley of Washington, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a classic deep pink color in the glass, just like the rabbits on the bottle!  The nose presents aromas of sweet strawberry with undertones of crisp apple and peach.  The taste is a mouthful of summer, with a rush of summer fruit flavors of strawberry, peach and honeydew that transition easily to some mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are subtle but firm, while the mild acidity provides for a smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's everything a summer rosé should be.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of lighter dishes, from grilled chicken breast to grilled pork tenderloin.  Tonight I am keeping it simple and enjoying this wine with a simple linguine tossed with broccoli rabe sauteéd with garlic and olive oil and topped with shaved Parmesan.  Cheers!

2019 Mark Ryan Flowerhead Rosé

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's somewhat sweltering here today with a high of 89° here today, so since it feels like summer, it must be time for rosé!  Tonight I've opened a nice bottle of rosé that I received as a gift with my most recent wine club shipment from Mark Ryan Winery, the 2019 Flowerhead Rosé!  This wine is a blend of Sangiovese, Syrah and and Grenache, so let's see how this preview of summer tastes!

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, a very light rose in color.  The nose is chock full of summer fruit, apple, peach, melon and a hint of citrus over some interesting mineral undertones.  The taste is surprisingly tropical up front, with flavors of mango and melon bursting through before transitioning to notes of grapefruit with modest acidity midpalate.  The finish is crisp and bright, with lingering tropical fruit notes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an ideal breath of summer that I could see myself sipping on the patio in the late evening sun.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer dishes, from beet and goat cheese salad, to burgers on the grill.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a steamed lobster tail with drawn butter, wild rice and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2018 Anvil French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  I'll admit this has historically been more of a beer holiday than a wine holiday, but Let's go with it!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club selection from Forgeron's Anvil label, the 2018 Anvil French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay!  Marie Eve made her name in Chardonnay, and this wine is a 100% Chardonnay from the French Creek Vineyard, Old Wente Clone in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So on this rare occasion of reviewing a white wine, let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass while the nose presents aromas of pineapple, citrus and a hint of stony mineral.  The taste is crisp and refreshing, with an interesting combination of apple, citrus and dusted limestone up front that transitions to a hint of white floral and candied pineapple toward the crisp dry finish that leaves you refreshed.

This wine is an ideal summer sipper that would pair well with a range of dishes, from lighter salads, to sushi or as an aperitif with some fresh fruit.  Tonight of course, I am enjoying this wine with a classic St. Patty's day dinner of corned beef and cabbage that has been simmering all afternoon, along with carrots and red potatoes served with a slice of buttered soda bread.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Anvil Chardonnay

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This time we have a special treat, one of those rare events when I taste a white wine (dun dun dun!).  Yes, I am really just a red wine drinker, but my friends at Forgeron keep trying to convert me with the annual Anvil Chardonnay shipment.  So tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 Anvil Chardonnay, a 100% Chardonnay from the old Wente Block in the Yakima Valley of Washington.  As our friends at Forgeron have told me, this block "was planted in 1981 on a south facing plateau just above the Yakima River. The chalky, stony soil, drains well and warms easily, producing a full-bodied, layered wine, of great balance and complexity."  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass and the nose is a cascade of bright fruit, pineapple, pear and citrus with a hint of white floral aromatics at the back end.  The taste is mildly fruit forward with some notes of citrus and apple that transitions effortlessly to some faint mineral notes before the wonderfully rich and classic buttery finish of a finely structured Chardonnay.  Admitting I am not a white wine drinker, I can say that when I opened a bottle for some guests the other night, it was a big hit!

I am not going to rate this wine, since I really don't consider myself qualified, but I think I can safely say this wine would be a solid choice to please a diverse crowd of wine drinkers.  As for pairings, I think this wine would be ideal with the classic white wine dishes like chicken, fish and seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops along with some four cheese risotto and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!