2022 Perle du Sud Rosé

Well, it's Thursday evening and the work week is coming to a close.  It's also been a week of crazy weather, yesterday we had 5.7" of rain in a 12-hour period and now it's unbelievably hot and humid with highs expected in the mid-90s tomorrow!  So, it must be time for rosé!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2022 Perle du Sud Rosé.  This wine is a wonderful blend of Grenache (60%) and Syrah (40%) from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of the south of France.  So let's see if this wine can provide a cool break in the hot weather!

The wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass, with aromas of pear, strawberry and melon with undertones of tarragon.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of tart cherry, strawberry and honeydew, that transitions to some notes of green grass and mineral notes midpalate.  The acidity is well balanced for a wonderfully crisp dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a wonderfully refreshing summer rosé with the French craft that will have you feeling Mediterranean breezes as you sip.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, particularly caprese salad, light fish dishes or fresh poke bowls.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a cedar planked coho salmon filet topped with lemon and dill, farro and steamed sugar snap peas.  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!

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

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy weekend, so it figures that right at the end of it, I finally have some time to sit down and enjoy a nice glass of wine.  Since we are in the heart of rosé season, I figured it would be nice to open a bottle and enjoy it with dinner and out on the patio, perhaps with a fire tonight.  So, I've opened a bottle of 2021 Sieur d'Eguilles Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rosé that I bought in a recent $10 case sale from Wines Till Sold Out (and no, it wasn't $10 a case, but $10 per bottle in the case!).  The wine is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon, so, let's see how it's tasting.

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, as you might expect from the region.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of citrus, peach and honeydew with hints of mineral undertones.  Take a sip and your nose and taste buds part ways as you're treated to a rush of red berry fruit, strawberry, raspberry and currant, with just a touch of citrus at the finish, which is crisp and dry.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a classic rosé from Provence and a terrific value for just $10!  This wine would pair with a broad range of summer dishes, from barbecue to a wide range of salads, burgers to light fish dishes.  Tonight, I have gone completely the opposite direction and am enjoying this wine with some comfort food, of classic tuna noodle casserole topped with crushed potato chips!  Cheers!

2021 DaMa Grenache Blanc

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a while since I've posted on a Wednesday given how busy my work life has been, but tonight that changes with a recent wine club selection and a wonderful spring dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle from a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2021 DaMa Grenache Blanc from the Painted Hills Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  It's rare that I review a white wine, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a wonderfully pale golden hue in the glass.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of citrus, honeydew and pear with just a hint of oak underneath.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of white grapefruit, melon and white peach, that transitions to some earthy notes of green grass and oak midpalate.  The finish is crisp and delightful, with a balanced acidity and classic dryness that make this wine an ideal summer sipper for the patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, and although white wines are not my forte, this wine was truly a pleasure to drink.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, pasta or halibut, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a special dinner.  I picked up some fresh morel mushrooms at my local market as they are now in season and decided to make some morel and asparagus risotto for dinner this evening.  The acidity of this wine is a perfect balance for the earthy richness of this risotto.  Cheers!

2021 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé

Happy Monday!  It's been a while since I've done a Monday post, but I'm having a special dinner tonight, which calls for a special wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2021 Healy Rosé which is made from 100% Syrah from the Kenny Hill, Flying B and Los Oidos Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  Now I'll admit we aren't even close to rosé season given that's it's barely broken the 50s hear lately, but why not be optimistic and start early?  At any rate, let's see what this wine has to offer for the summer!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass, with just a hint of honey color.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of peach, honeydew and a bit of citrus zest that would be ideal for a warm evening on the patio.  Take a sip and you're greeted by a rush of pear, strawberry and a hint of lemon that ease into some mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is dry and crisp, with lingering citrus notes, making this a wonderful summer favorite.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, though I may be biased given this is my first rosé of the year.  This wine would be great with summer salads, burgers and brats or even Thai lettuce wraps.  Tonight however, I am enjoying this wine with a crispy skin Scottish black pearl salmon filet with some wild rice and oven roasted carrots and 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!

2018 Band of Roses Washington State Rose

Happy Tuesday!  I know this is a confluence of events with Cinco de Mayo happening on Taco Tuesday, but I've decided to go in a completely different direction tonight.  As it happens during a lockdown, I've decided to host a virtual wine tasting with a bunch of my work colleagues tomorrow night and I've decided to go with a sneak preview of one of the wines tonight.  The 2018 Band of Roses Washington State rose is a nice, irreverent wine from Charles Smith, which is one of the larger producers in Washington that has gained nationwide distribution.  The wines are very well priced and I know that no matter where I pick one up, the quality to value proposition almost always favors us consumers.  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a very soft peach color in the glass, almost like a Chardonnay, but still clearly rose.  The nose is a wonderful cascade of tropical fruit, pineapple, mango, honeydew and citrus that seems as refreshing as s bright summer day.  The taste is a rush of citrus, strawberry and melon, with just a hint of minerality.  The tannins are somewhat soft, but unyielding, with subdued acidity providing for a wonderfully crisp, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a pleasant drinking summer rose, that I could see myself sipping on the patio, if it wasn't cloudy and 47 degrees (where are you spring!?!?).  This wine would pair with summer barbecue, burgers, or salads, but tonight I am going in another direction.  I am enjoying this wine with a recipe I found randomly on twitter (!) for chicken paprikash, a Hungarian chicken dish simmered in paprika and finished with sour cream to make a lovely sauce, served with a bit of jasmine rice.  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Chardonnay

Happy Friday!  It was an eventful day of wine deliveries for me today as both the UPS and FedEx guys stopped by to deliver wines, so I had plenty of choices to open tonight.  I decided to open the 2017 DaMa Columbia Valley Chardonnay, simply because I'm not really a fan of white wines, but fortunately I was making something for dinner that I thought we definitely benefit from pairing with a Chardonnay, more on that later.  I will also admit that I'm a big fan of the artwork that DaMa incorporates on their labels, but this Chardonnay label has be scratching my head, as I'm not sure if it's the bride of Frankenstein or Marie Antoinette...though either would be appropriate "in times like these"!  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a crisp golden color in the glass, reminiscent of a field of buttercups.  The nose presents aromas of pear, pineapple and citrus (I'll admit when I first opened and poured a glass there was a strong alcohol aroma, but that dissipated after it opened up a bit in the glass).  The taste is a basket of summer fruit, with honeydew, kiwi and strawberry intermingled with white grapefruit that transitions to some dusty mineral notes midpalate.  The acidity is somewhat subdued, though the taste of this wine is nowhere close to the classic buttery Chardonnay, as it seems to be plowing it's own ground.  The finish is crisp but dry, with a lingering reprise of minerality.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, just because I am not really a fan of white wines, but I'm sure futures guests will enjoy my remaining bottles!  As for pairing, this would go well with summer salads, fresh fruit or a light pasta.  Tonight I am pairing this with some homemade ham and bean soup that's been simmering in the crock pot all day, along with some fresh cornbread (I really wish I had this yesterday as it was raining with a high of 43 and I just could not get warm yesterday no matter how hard I tried!)
.  The crispness and mineral notes offer a nice balance to the richness of the soup.  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!

2017 Healy Rose

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been over 80 degrees here for the past two days, so I am officially declaring this the beginning of rose season!  And since the folks at Bledsoe Family Wines were kind enough to deliver 8 bottles of the most recent vintage, what else could I possibly open tonight but a 2017 Healy Rose?  So let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass as the nose presents sweet aromas of strawberry, orange zest, cantaloupe and honeydew and floral overtones that just make this wine feel like a spring day.  The taste is crisp and refreshing on the tongue, with wonderful sweet fruit flavors dancing together before some wonderful mineral notes join the party.  The finish is lingering yet crisp, just what you'd want from a nice spring day.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as this wine is becoming a perennial favorite to start rose season.  This wine would pair perfectly with a sunny afternoon on the patio, but tonight since we're having a thunderstorm (another side effect of warm humid weather), I am enjoying this wine with some sesame seared ahi tuna, steamed rice and sauteed baby bok choy.  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!

2015 Healy Rose

Happy Hump Day!  It's been a busy week already as I was in Montreal and Toronto for work (but at least I was able to score a bottle of Niagara wine at the duty free shop, more on that in a future post) and now I'm home for a couple weeks.  Tonight I went to the gym and now I'm ready to relax with a great bottle of wine, the 2015 Healy Rose, the latest signature wine from Doubleback, Drew and Maura Bledsoe's winery in Walla Walla.  So let's see how this rose from the Columbia Valley stacks up!

The wine is a beautiful salmon color, with some orange tints.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry, honeydew and some fresh spring floral notes.  The taste is just wonderfully refreshing, with some lovely crisp fruit notes up front, strawberry and honeydew again, but then there is a lovely reprise of apricot on the finish that just makes this wine a treat, perfect for the summer that's barreling towards us!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's one of my favorites of the current crop of Roses from Washington, but unfortunately I only have one more bottle!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some classic summer food, some fried chicken and biscuit with a bit of cole slaw, and of course once dinner is over, I'll be enjoying this one on the patio as the sun goes down.  Cheers!

2014 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc

Well now that I've completed all my posts about my fabulous Walla Walla road trip, we will be treated with reviews of the many great wines I brought back from the trip!  First up, as summer seems to be winding down much faster than I'd prefer, I thought I'd enjoy a bottle of rose, particularly since this hot and humid summer has really been the "Summer of Rose!"  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2014 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc that I picked up in the tasting room a week or so ago.

The color on this wine is exceedingly pale, a quick glance and you might actually mistake it for a white wine, but rest assured it's all rose.  The nose presents lovely aromas of strawberries, honeydew and crisp citrus notes, ideal for a summer on the patio.  The taste is a rush of floral, melon and citrus, that takes a bit of a break for some nice mineral notes midpalate.  Surprisingly, the finish recounts some lovely sweet strawberry notes that cap off this beautiful glass of summer.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, simply because it's not quite as dry as I prefer, particularly on the finish.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a classic Pacific Northwest dinner of wild Alaskan Coho salmon filet grilled on a northern white cedar plank, with some steamed wild rice and fresh picked green beans.  The fruit and acidity of this wine make it a perfect foil to the richness of the salmon, and I have to mention that white cedar imparts very different flavors to the fish than your normal red cedar, which go perfectly with this wine!  Cheers!