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!

2022 Helix Sangiovese Rose

Happy Saturday!  I trust you are all enjoying a wonderful Memoria Day weekend.  I spend much of the day at the cemetery planting flowers for my relatives, but now I am back home and ready for a nice glass of wine dinner.  Given the near proximity of summer, tonight I've decided to open a classic summer wine, the 2022 Helix Sangiovese Rose.  This wine is a rose of 100% Sangiovese from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this burst of summer is tasting!

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, and a gentle swirls reveals aromas of peach blossom, strawberry amid hints of citrus.  Take a sip and summer comes rushing in, crisp refreshing notes of grapefruit, fresh melon and tropical notes of guava and mango.  This wine has a crisp and refreshing dry finish that's just perfect for summer sipping on the patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's just a wonderfully simple, refreshing wine that is an ideal representation of what rose should be.  This wine would pair well with seafood, light salads or beef tartare.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my Memorial Day lobster fest, as my local market had live Maine lobsters on sale for just $9.99, along with a sale on corn on the cob, so here I am, enjoying a perfect taste of summer in late May.  Cheers!

2021 Belles d'Eguilles Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rosé

Happy Sunday!  I haven't posted in a bit since between fighting a cold and an incredibly busy time at work, I just haven't had the opportunity.  But tonight that changes as I've opened a bottle from a rosé four-pack that I bought from Wines Till Sold Out, what better way to enjoy some nice summer wines from Provence?  The 2021 Belles d'Eguilles Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rosé is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan from Provence in the south of France.  So, let's see what the Mediterranean rosé has to offer!

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, as has been the trend with recent rosé vintages.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of peach, honeydew, tart grapefruit and a bit of lemon zest.  Take a sip and out comes the sun (despite the cool, rainy weather here today) with bright citrus, strawberry and hints of melon, intermingled with some mineral notes that characterize the region.  The finish is somewhat crisp, but very dry, making this wine ideal for outdoor summer dining.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a solid rosé at a good value, but it's not as impressive as others I've enjoyed this summer.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, barbecue, burgers and brats as well as hearty fish dishes.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some crispy skin salmon done mid-rare, some wild rice and haricots verts almondine.  Cheers!

2020 Seven Hills Dry Rose

Happy Sunday!  It's been somewhat quiet here today, as I had the chance to do some chores around the house and just returned from a bike ride, but now it's time for a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine from one of my favorite Washington wine makers, that I brought back from my vacation to Walla Walla, the 2020 Seven Hills Dry Rose from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  It certainly is rose season, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass, with a hint of pink at the edges, just what you might expect from a nice rose.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of honeysuckle, soft citrus notes, and some nice mineral notes.  Take a sip and you are greeted with a taste of summer, with wonderful strawberry notes intermingled with grapefruit and watermelon, that will have you pining for the days of your childhood enjoying sweet, juicy fruits of summer in the back yard.  The tannins are soft and well structured for the crisp, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it just speaks to me as an ideal summer rose all around, and at $20 it's a terrific value as well.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer dishes, from burgers and hot dogs, to classic barbecue, to light summer salads.  Tonight I am taking a different approach and enjoying this wine with another dinner on the patio, a creole spiced veal loin chop, along with some blistered Campari tomatoes and linguine tossed with asparagus and garlic scapes sautéed in olive oil and topped with shaved parmesan.  Cheers!

2020 Healy Rose

Well, it's officially the first holiday weekend of summer, and I can confirm that I really needed this!  So, on the first day of the three day weekend, I've taken advantage of a sale at my local market which spurred a bit of a challenge for an appropriate wine pairing.  Fortunately, I received my Bledsoe Family Wine spring club shipment not long ago, which had an ideal solution in the 2020 Healy Rose.  Although the blend is proprietary, the fruit was sourced from some solid vineyards in the the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this first taste of summer is tasting!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass, almost welcoming summer, though around here we've had several false starts, with the lows reaching the 30s just a couple days ago!  A modest swirl in the glass releases a load of citrus notes, grapefruit, lemon and a hint of blood orange, that eases into some lovely herb notes.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a lovely mix of citrus, ripe melon and persimmon that transition easily to some earthy mineral notes with bright acidity throughout.  On the finish, we the texture and acidity continue for a crisp dry finish that just screams summer.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a super pleasant and easy drinking rose that I could see myself enjoying on the patio all summer long.  This wine would pair well with a fresh caprese salad, a warm orzo with fresh herbs or a wide range of seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a steamed live Maine lobster (thanks to my local market for only $9.99!) and some fresh corn on the cob with lots of butter and some Srirach cole slaw.  Here's to summer!

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!

2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rose

Well, this past week featured some remarkably early summer like days, with highs in the mid- to upper-70s and lots of sun, which had me yearning for rose season, but alas today it was cloudy and windy with a high of 42.  But that's not stopping me, I am tasting some rose, and tonight it's the 2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rose, a lovely rose from the Walla Walla Valley that just arrived with a wine club shipment last week.  So let's see how this preview of summer is tasting!

The wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass.  The nose is a basket of summer fruit, peach, watermelon and citrus all dancing around, beckoning you to take a sip.  The taste is just a mouthful of summer, with a rush of ripe peach, honeydew, pink grapefruit and strawberry that just dance around your palate before transitioning to some mineral and herb notes of thyme and lavender midpalate.  The acidity is quite pronounced leading to a wonderfully vibrant yet dry finish that lingers like a long summer evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's my first taste of rose season and it's already got me wanting more!  This wine would pair well with summer salads, barbecue or pasta.  Tonight, since it's still chilly, I am pairing this with a recipe I saw from one of my favorite food bloggers Chris of Don't Go Bacon My Heart (you really should check him out on Instagram or his site: https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/ a wonderful Gorgonzola pasta with pancetta, leeks and mushrooms (you can find the recipe here: https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/gorgonzola-pasta/) and this rose is just perfect with that hearty pasta dish.  Cheers!

2018 Les Quatre Tours Classique Rosé (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence)

Well, it finally seems like summer has arrived as it's been in the 80s and quite humid here over the past few days.  With warmer temperatures, I'm sure that rose season is in full swing, so tonight I've opened up a bottle I purchase recently from Wines Till Sold Out (also a future wine club selection for my peeps!), the 2018 Les Quatre Tours Classique Rosé (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence).  Although the blend is proprietary, it is mainly Grenache and Syrah with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault added to balance it out.  So, let's see how refreshing this wine is!

It seems like every rose this season has been particularly pale, with this wine no exception, demonstrating pale peach color in the glass.  The nose exhibits notes of fresh summer fruit, strawberries, green apple and grapefruit with a hint of honey at the edge.  The taste is very crisp and refreshing, with a big, rounded mouthfeel and a rush of green apple and citrus right up front.  The crisp fruit transitions nicely to some dusty gravel and a hint of white pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is crisp and delightfully dry, and lingering to beckon you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very pleasant summer rose at a great value for just $12.  This wine would pair with a wide variety of summer salads, seafood dishes or cold sandwiches on the patio.  Tonight, since it's Taco Tuesday, I'm enjoying this wine with some fish tacos garnished with some sriracha slaw, as the spice is just perfect with the crispness of this wine.  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc

Well, rose season is starting to kick into high gear, as the weather has been warm and sunny, all of my trees have leaves so suddenly my yard is under a complete canopy, making for stunning evenings on the patio.  So on this Wine Wednesday, I've decided to open a new rose I received in a wine club shipment from DaMa Wines a week or so ago (caveat on this rose season, I'll be drinking a lot of it, but writing little as I have such a surplus yet from last year!).  So let's see how this wine is preparing me for summer!

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, as the nose emits aromas of spring flowers, sweet strawberry and mango that shifts decidedly to a more citrus bent with some grapefruit aromas as it opens up.  The taste is just sublime, with some lovely spring floral and earthy mineral notes at the outset that throws you a bit off your game, but then it brings you right back with some wonderful citrus and tropical fruit notes intermingled with such light floral notes that it really is like sipping Spring!  The finish is crisp and clean and very dry, perfect for summer.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it is really a favorite for rose season.  This wine could pair well with a variety of seafood and salads, but I think it would pair the best with an afternoon on the patio!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops on a bed of fresh picked arugula, along with some garlic and Parmesan orzo and steamed broccoli.  The crispness of this wine is just wonderful with the richness of the scallops.  Cheers!

2015 Forgeron Rose of Sangiovese

Happy Sunday!  Boy it sure feels like summer here now, I was mowing the grass today and was sweating like mad as it reached the upper-80s today!  Hot is the perfect weather for a summer favorite, rose!  Today I've decided to open a bottle of our office wine club selection for June, the 2015 Forgeron Rose of Sangiovese from the Walla Walla Valley of Washington!  I reviewed the 2014 vintage (you can see that here) so let's see how the 2015 stacks up!

The wine is a very light peach color, perfect for a dry rose for summer!  The nose is a lovely combination of grapefruit, strawberry and orange blossom notes, with just a bit of minerality in the background.  The taste is a lovely rush of sweet strawberry and tropical fruit up front that transitions to some wonderful floral notes midpalate.  The finish is crisp, with mild acidity and a smooth, very dry ending.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's one of my favorite roses for summer, perfect for sipping on the patio on a warm evening light tonight.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer fare, from caprese salad to lighter fish dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some pan seared sea scallops along with some bucatini tossed with broccoli rabe sauteed with garlic and olive oil topped with a bit of shaved parmesan.  Sante!

2016 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc

What a day!  It started by pouring down rain this morning when I am in a pinch to get my yard and garden ready for having some folks over for a cook out this week (you can't be ill prepared for the first yard gathering of the season!).  But alas, I was able to clean all the patio furniture, pick up branches that came down in the storm, pull weeks and mow in what seemed like a very compressed timeframe, though now that I look at the clock it's been seven hours!  Well with patio get together's and warm weather, it's definitely the start of rose season, and tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2016 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc.  This is a 100% Cabernet Franc, the second vintage from the Chene de Mille Vineyard in the Columbia Valley, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a lovely, very pale peach color in the glass, such that you might even mistake it for a white wine if you weren't paying attention.  The nose presents aromas of grapefruit, melon, strawberry and a hint of lemongrass.  The taste is quite nice, very fresh, notes of citrus, mango, and a hint of pineapple that transitions to some wonderful white floral and lemongrass midpalate.  The finish has nice backbone, clear acidity and a bone dry finish.

Overall, I like this one better than the 2014 or 2015 vintages, so I'd rate this one a solid 8.  It's crisp and refreshing and this girl is ready for summer!  This wine would pair with a variety of summer dishes, from salmon to a caprese salad, but tonight I am going way off script and enjoying this wine with some chicken Tikka Masala!  What's better with Indian food than a nice dry rose?  Cheers!

2016 Healy Rose

Happy Sunday and Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there!  So today, was a day of modest accomplishments, after church I went grocery shopping then did laundry and then decided to try my hand at assembling the bike that I recently exchanged United miles for.  Needless to say, I'm not super mechanically talented, and I've gotten as far as it looking a lot like a bike, but I still need to attend to the details, like the brake assemblies!  So perhaps next weekend I'll have my chance to finish it. At any rate, it's time for wine!  And tonight it's a nice 2016 Healy Rose, from Drew Bledsoe's Doubleback winery in Walla Walla, after all, it's now rose season, and what mom doesn't like a good rose?

The wine is a pleasant pink color in the glass, with hints of orange.  The nose is layered with rose petals, honeydew and a hint of grapefruit, a perfect affirmation of rose.  The taste is just summer in a glass, with some nice sweet fruit notes up front, strawberry and melon that transitions nicely to some lovely mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is loaded with bright acidity and ephemeral dryness, perfect for sipping on a summer evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's a perennial favorite for rose season, and it's a good value at $28 for the limited production of just 411 cases.  This wine would be perfect for the patio, as well as pairing with a wide variety of summer dishes, from caprese salad to burgers and barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this one with a Santa Fe marinaded grilled chicken breast, with some grilled baby bok choy and some wild rice.  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Dry Rose

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Today it was unseasonably warm, 83 degrees, which felt remarkably summer like, which means it was a perfect day to chill some rose!  And tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2016 Seven Hills Dry Rose, a bottle I got a few months ago and I've been hankering to try once the weather warmed up.  Well tonight's the night!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of peach, orange blossom and a hint of basalt.  The taste is crisp and refreshing, with some interesting Chardonnay like notes of buttery fruit, peach, grapefruit and papaya that transition nicely to some lovely mineral notes midpalate.  A rose like this, made primarily from Cabernet Franc has somewhat mellow acidity and a smooth, bone dry finish, similar to the classic dry rose wines of France.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's an ideal wine for summer, perfect for salads, lighter meals or just sipping on the deck.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a wonderful dinner of bucatini tossed with broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil and garlic and topped with a bit of shaved parmesan.  And after dinner I'll finish enjoying this lovely rose on the deck as it should be!  Cheers!

2015 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc

Happy Memorial Day!  I always have mixed feelings about this holiday, as I like to honor those who've served our country in the military, but this also represents the first holiday of the summer, and hence the start of Rose season!  So today I've decided to open a bottle of 2015 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc, an interesting little Rosa from the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, somewhat lighter than other roses I've had so far this year.  The nose presents aromas of cool citrus, grapefruit and a hint of strawberry and orange blossom.  The taste is quite soft, not the bright citrus acidity I was expecting, but rather some notes of honeysuckle, strawberry and a bit of olive.  The finish is quite nice, very dry and refreshing, just a bit of summer in a glass.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very pleasant rose that is perfect for summer.  This wine would be great with a light summer salad for lunch, or as I'm enjoying it this first holiday of barbecue season, with some barbecued ribs, fresh cole slaw and corn on the cob!  Whooo hooo this summer is going to be awesome!

2015 Seven Hills Dry Rose of Cabernet Franc

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I know this is traditionally a holiday marked by corned beef and cabbage and green beer, but I'm not much of a beer drinker, so what to pair with my lovely dinner that's been simmering all day long?  Thankfully I received a case of 2015 Seven Hills Dry Rose of Cabernet Franc with my wine club shipment last week and that should be perfect!

The wine is a lovely, light peach color in the glass, and at certain angles it almost appears to be a white wine.  The nose presents aromas of peach, mango and a hint of orange blossom.  The taste is just wonderful, with a blast of floral notes up front that transition nicely to some flavors of grapefruit, watermelon and a hint of spice midpalate.  The finish is crisp and refreshing as I am not imagining how this wine will be on the patio during a pleasant July evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it one of the nicest roses I've had from Washington, and they keep getting better every year.  As mentioned earlier, I am enjoying this wine with my traditional corned beef and cabbage with red potatoes and cabbage, as the fresh fruit and acidity cuts nicely through the richness of the corned beef.  Cheers!

2014 The Vincent Columbia Valley Rose

Summer is apparently having its revenge in the last few weeks it will be around, as it's just been incredibly hot and humid this week.  I sure am glad I had the foresight to bring back ample bottles of nice Washington rose wine to help combat the heat!  Tonight I have opened a bottle of 2014 "The Vincent" Columbia Valley Rose wine from Mark Ryan Winery's Board Track Racer label.  Back in 2013, I reviewed the 2012 vintage which you can see here: Link, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The color strikes me as a bit more orange-pink, but quite deep and vibrant.  I don't have the technical specifications, but my sense is that this one is still a GSM blend, but likely with a bit more emphasis on the Syrah.  The nose presents lovely, earthy aromas of cut grass and iron, intermingled with some floral and citrus notes.  The taste is a vibrant rush of strawberry, grapefruit and lime that eases into some nice mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is just bone dry, a perfect summer refresher for my palate!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, the flavor is all there and the structure is very pleasant, and to top it off, this was a terrific value at about $15!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some maple glazed wild Alaskan Coho on a bed of baby kale and arugula, some steamed wild rice and green beans, a perfect summer dinner.  Cheers!

2014 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Dry Rose

Happy Easter!  Yeah, I know, Easter was two weeks ago, but given my hectic travel schedule over the last few weeks I've had to wait until today to have my traditional Easter ham!  And not only am I having to pair a wine with glazed ham, it's also beginning to feel a lot like springtime, so what better wine to open than a nice 2014 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Dry Rose?  This particular dry rose is a blend of Cabernet Franc (84%), Petite Verdot (8%) and Malbec (8%), making it somewhat more interesting than many rose blends I've seen.

The color of the wine is a nice pale peach color in the glass.  The nose expresses an interesting combination of citrus notes, along with some white floral notes and a bit of peach.  The taste is delightful, with a crisp blast of fruit up front, plenty of grapefruit and tropical notes of papaya that give way to some honeysuckle and mineral notes of limestone midpalate.  The finish is crisp, refreshing and bone dry, perfect for sipping on the patio on a cool summer evening, which I can see myself doing a lot this summer!

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a terrific dry rose wine, ideal for the summer months and a perfect complement to the sweetness of my glazed ham dinner.  The wine is also a great value at $17, but even more so with the wine club discount!  As mentioned, tonight I'm enjoying this one with a classic, though belated Easter dinner of glazed ham, cheesy potatoes and of course, green bean casserole!  The only thing better than this will be the left overs, ham sandwiches for lunch this week!  Cheers!

2012 Maxwell Creek Napa Valley Rose

Happy Independence Day Eve!  Here we are on the evening before the 4th of July and I decided to stop at the supermarket after work and they were having a big seafood sale, so what wine should I open knowing that I'll be eating seafood for dinner?  Well it just so happens that I stopped by the World Market yesterday and picked up a couple bottles of rose, so why not open a bottle of the 2012 Maxwell Creek Napa Valley Rose?

The wine is a lovely orange-pink color in the glass, sort of the color of ripe grapefruit at the center, leading to a white translucence around the edges of the glass.  The nose is very different from what I was expecting, with lovely notes of strawberry and citrus, but it also had some interesting floral notes as well as a nice bit of vanilla bean.  The taste was crisp and refreshing with flavors of citrus and green grass at the outset which transitioned to some interesting notes of flowers and tea leaves midpalate.  The finish was quite nice, with a distinct dryness, but also a burst of honey flavor at the very end which I found quite endearing.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it was a pleasure to sip and very versatile in pairing with a variety of dishes.  It was also a solid value at only $10 at the World Market.  Tonight I paired this wine with a lovely dinner of sea scallops seared in toasted sesame oil and served on a bed of baby greens with some spicy curried couscous on the side.  The wine is really a perfect match for seafood as the crispness really played well with the richness of the scallops, while the honey finish was a nice foil to some of the bitterness of the baby greens.  Cheers and have a lovely Independence Day!

2013 Avaniel Ribera del Duero Rosado

What a day!  If anyone ever tells you that owning a home is an "investment" in an "appreciating asset" just smack them and inform them they are either an idiot or a shill for the real estate industry.  Homes are the largest depreciating assets most of us will ever own, unlike wine, they do not get better with age, they simply depreciate faster!  Today on my home I had a problem with the plumbing, so I called a plumber he couldn't fix it as apparently there are tree roots or something blocking the sewer pipe between my house and the main sewer line!  All this on the day I was planning my first cookout, so that's now postponed (sorry friends, but believe me, you'll enjoy the party a lot better with indoor plumbing!) and I'm waiting for the contractor to show up Monday!  Investment my butt!

But at least I have wine, and tonight I've opened a bottle of 2013 Avaniel Ribera del Duero Rosado, a wine I was supposed to enjoy with the Snooth.com virtual tasting last Wednesday, but since I was on the road I decided to hold this one until the weekend so I know it would be chilled and delicious.  The wine is 100% tempranillo, which I truly enjoy, and as a rosado I find this a lovely summer wine!  The nose on this wine is delightful, lovely floral notes over some citrus and melon notes and just a hint of strawberry.  The taste is a real treat, wonderful fresh citrus flavors of grapefruit and strawberry, crisp and refreshing with a very long finish for a chilled rose.  This is perhaps the perfect summer wine!

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's crisp, light and refreshing and a terrific value at under $10!  This would pair well with a variety of summer dishes as the heat index rises, but tonight I am enjoying this with some lovely cedar planked wild Copper River Sockeye salmon over a bed of crisp baby kale, some grilled corn and sweet potato fries, so wonderful!  This wine is a perfect compliment to hearty, flavorful fish like salmon, or just sipping on the deck on a warm summer evening, cheers!