Beat the Heat with ROSÉ FROM PROVENCE!

Right now, summer has descended, New York City is baking in the heat, and all I can think about is escaping to the seaside with a glass of rosé in hand. While the beach is merely an hour away on the A train, sometimes it's just easier to conjure refreshment by popping over to the wine shop and grabbing a bottle of rosé from Provence!

While great rosé is made all over the world, Provence is where they've mastered the style so many folks find appealing; lots of minerality, good fruit, and a crisp finish. Typically made from the traditional southern French grapes Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault, these are also generally very affordable wines.

I, for one, encourage rosé consumption year-round, but it certainly is enjoyable to cool off with a glass of rosé in the summer heat. And the fact that these are "red wines in a white wine's body" make them amazing to pair with a range of foods, from lobster to a cookout hot dog.

At a recent tasting sponsored by Vins de Provence, "The Taste of Style," I enjoyed a lovely array of the following rosés (there were some whites and reds from the region as well, and I couldn't help but include one DELISH white below.) Enjoy!

2016 Château Barbanau L'Instant Rosé (Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah) (Winery is Organic and Biodynamic.)

V pale onion skin. Herby, spicy, white pear, tasty, good balance, ticks fruit and complexity boxes. Quaffable. ~$20 WM: 89

2016 Château Barbanau La Girafe Verte Rosé (Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah)

V pale onion skin. Great herbs on nose; tarragon, basil, menthol. Nice fruit, cheeky. ~$18 WM: 92

2016 Mirabeau en Provence Pure Rosé (Grenache, Syrah)

V v pale onion skin. Light fragrant nose, minerally, elegant, clean, good present acidity. ~$25 WM: 90

2016 Mirabeau en Provence Étoile Rosé (Grenache, Syrah)

V v pale silvery onion skin. Fruit forward, peach, melon, good grip, clean and minerally. ~$35 WM: 91

2016 Cep d'Or Rosé (Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah)

V pale pink, light but great tastiness and fruit through the finish, green herbs too. ~$16 WM: 88

2016 Château L'Arnaude Cuvée Nuit Blanche Rosé (Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan)

V pale peach, good floral perfume, red berries, very dry, a little bitter. ~$NA WM: 86

2016 Château de Pampelonne Rosé (Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Tibouren) 

V pale pink, nice florals, stemmy nose, tasty, elegant, good berries on finish, nice. ~$21 WM: 90

2016 Mas de Pampelonne Rosé (Neighbor of ^) (Grenache, Cinsault, Tibouren) 

V v pale salmon, great nose, florals and berry fruit, minerally, stemmy. ~$18 WM: 89

2016 Fleur de Mer Rosé (Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan)

V pale pink. Raspberry, strawberry, bitter-ish but well-balanced. Tangy minerality. Nice. ~$18 WM: 89

2015 Château Sainte Marguerite Ikon Rosé (Cinsault, Grenache)

V pale onion skin, florals, ripe melon, cherry, slurp. ~$NA WM: 90

2016 Domaine du Dragon Grande Cuvée Rosé (Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Sra, Rolle)

V pale pink. V floral, nice, savory and spicy in mouth. Yum. ~$NA WM: 91

2016 Château Rêva Symphony Rosé (Grenache, Sra, Cinsault)

V pale pinky salmon, nice acidity, savory, tart red fruit. ~$NA WM: 89

And the DELICOUS white:

2016 Château Sainte Marguerite Symphony (Rolle)

Pale silvery-gold. Lemony nose, whiff of smoke. Tight and lemon-limey with great herb, tarragon. 7-UP-y Clean, tangy, grassy, herby, minerally, so delish. ~$27 WM: 93

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As the mercury continues hovering at the top of the thermometer, believe me, I'll be drinking a lot more rosé. Keep your eyes here for more posts on delicious rosés from all over the world! Post in the comments with your favorite rosés, from Provence or elsewhere. and share the wealth!

Cheers.

TOP 20 UNDER $20 of 2014!!!

It's that time of the year—the mercury drops, the holiday season approaches, the days get shorter… and the Wine Minx posts her "Top 20 Under $20"! Like leaves falling from the tree and shiny-nosed Rudolph, my most popular blog is BACK.

Don't look so forlorn, Andrew—you're buying us wine!

You may recall that last year was a tricky one; I didn't even find 15 wines for the list, alas. But in 2014 I had a surfeit of lovely options to choose from… so there are actually 21 this year. Why not? My blog, my rules!

Yes, there are three rosé sparklers—because they are just THAT DARN GOOD. Chile, Portugal, and Spain had a solid showing (no surprise, they're great for value wines,) but we were nicely spread out all over the world with ten different countries represented, including Greece, Austria, and Morocco. Yep, Morocco. 

I would gladly drink a case of each of these, but will note some particular standouts with a "*" because they deserve it. Okay, enough o' my yakking, let's get to it!

SPARKLING:

2010 Luis Pato Vinho Espumante, Portugal: was served this at Oxheart restaurant when I was in Houston. Amazeballs! Tart and tangy but unusual and herby too. Let it warm up and open up. Delicious. Made from the Baga grape. ~$13.

*NV C. Greffe Vouvray Brut Excellence: nose of taffy and white flowers, orange peel, white chocolate. Pleasing mousse, rich in flavor, a bit of brioche to ground it, straddles the line beautifully between complex and easy-drinking. Well, well, well, what a find. ~$19.

NV Dürnberg Brut Sparkling Rosé, Austria: made from Zweigelt, with loads of fruit! Well-balanced, herby, excellent aperitif, good body and character. Supremely quaffable. An absolute party fave. ~$15.

*NV Louis Bouillot Rosé, Cremant de Bourgogne: light pink. Tasty strawberry and honeycrisp apple. Dry, good zingy mousse, nice balance, long finish, great to pair with pork or T'giving turkey! More, please. ~$16.

WHITE:

*2013 Caliterra Tributo, Leyda, Chile: 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale straw gold color, fresh nose of kiwi and gooseberry, lemon, papaya, lime curd. Well-balanced fruit and acidity, grass and fresh herbs on the (long) finish, minerality, kelp/seaweed, quaffable but complex. ~$15

*2012 Feudo Arancio Grillo, Sicily: I drank Grillo as I recently wandered all over Sicily, falling in love with its good weight and body, and lemony, herby character, with intriguing spicy white florals. Feudo Arancio makes a great one, yummmm. And only ~$9!

2012 Saracina Unoaked Chardonnay, Mendocino, CA- white peach, pear, lemon zest, fresh tarragon on nose. Big body, goosed by 4% Viognier in blend, not too high alcohol. In the mouth, tasty fruit and yellow flowers, solid acidity, and minerality on the finish. ~$17.

2012 Ouled Thaleb: white blend (60% Faranah, 40% Clairette) from… Morocco! Pale straw color, melon, grassy, light, spicy finish, lite acid, v. quaffable, minerality, pear, yellow flowers, orange blossom, yellow apple, melon, bit of mint, medium weight, pleasant finish. ~$14.

*2013 Esporão Monte Velho, Portugal: 40% Antão Vaz, 40% Roupeiro, 20% Perrum. Don't let those unusual grapes throw you. Very floral nose, a bit spicy, with white peach and melon. Über rich in the mouth! Luxe. Long finish, just enough acid to balance. Holy cow, love this. A ~$10 STUNNER.

2011 Astica Torrontes, Cuyo, Argentina: pale silvery-gold. Straw and white flowers, rich in the mouth, lemon zest, excellent acidity, long finish. Your next "house white," at only ~$6. 

2013 Quinta da Aveleda, Portugal: 80% Loureiro and 20% Alvarinho— maybe the best Vinho Verde I've ever tried. Not the usual "light and forgettable," it was super-tasty, with green melon, grapefruit, a good body, and steely minerality. Delicioso! ~$9.

ROSÉ:

2012 Domaine de la Sanguliere Rosé Juliette, Provence. Tried this when I was looking for rosés to suggest for a friend's restaurant. Extremely quaffable, loads of berry fruit but also herbs and minerality. Can't stop sipping this one! Don't think about it only for summer, either. ~$13.

RED:

*2011 Cuatro Pasos, Bierzo Spain: Mencía is the grape. A crowd-pleaser for sure. Spicy macerated berries, pepper, smoke, lots of herbs. Complex, with a well-balanced, lengthy finish. On second thought, forget the crowd, drink it all yourself. ~$10.

*2011 Saint George Aghiorghitiko, Nemea, Greece. Tons of floral perfume, rose, violets, bright and tangy in the mouth, cranberry, pomegranate, bit of earth and herbs. Medium-body wine in a light-body suit. Excellent. ~$14.

2013 Campo de Borja Los Dos, Spain: Grenache/Syrah blend. Medium ruby color, bright cherry nose! Bramble fruit. Bit of mushroom and herbs. Spicy in the mouth, with crunchy fruit that turns plush on the long, bright finish. Cheerful and a little sexy. A steal at ~$8.

*2012 MontGras Antu by Ninquén Syrah: Colchagua, Chile. Medium ruby, interesting nose of lilac, violets, pepper, blackberries, clove, licorice, and a bit of oak. Light but lingering spice. Less-ripe fruit on palate, but rich, long, integrated finish. Herbs, touch of vanilla and chocolate, juicy and lovely. (I drew a heart.) ~$12

2012 Underraga Pinot Noir, Maipo, Chile: ripe bramble fruit, blueberry, spice, clove, sweet pork sausage kinda thing, smoke, sage.V bright acidity, needs to be paired with food, yum! ~$11.

2013 Luzon Verde Monastrell - black fruits, plum, heady aromatics, bit of chocolate, not overly heavy-duty. Good acidity, tasty. A very solid offering at ~$10.

*2012 Sobon Hillside Zinfandel, CA: smoky, peppery, black cherry, blackberry nose. Punch of bright berry fruit and ripe plum, lip-smakingly tasty, simmers into long, balanced, soft finish. Super ripe fruit but nice balancing pepper and minerality. ~$12.

2012 Avignonesi Rosso di Montepulciano: cedar, cherry liqueur, bit of licorice, sage. Tasty and well supported by balanced tannins, herby and woody notes emerge over the finish.  Great representation of Italian flair for only ~$18.

DESSERT:

NV Taylor's First Estate Reserve Port, Portugal: the youngest of their offerings and arguably the most approachable. Intense fresh fruit, luscious, quite "wine-like," as its higher alcohol is tempered by the brightness of the fruit. Wow. ~$17.

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Well, Wineaux, there you have it. 21 stunning wines under $20. Plenty of variety to get you through Turkey Day, the holidays, AND the New Year, without breaking the bank! Try some, let me know what you liked, or if you have your own 2014 <$20 faves.

Cheers!

Rosé Around the World, or, Not Yo' Momma's White Zin

The heat of summer is most certainly upon us.  And as people everywhere scramble to choose the perfect wine for this time of year, suggesting Grüner Veltliner or Sauvignon Blanc, I scream "Rosé, rosé, rosé!"

Sadly, many people scream back "No way, no way, no way," fearful of revisiting the experience of a youthful sip of Momma's White Zin at a family cookout.  While one-dimensional sicky-sweet blush wines do remain out there on the market, fellow Wineaux have long embraced the wonderful variety and loveliness of well-crafted rosés from all over the globe.

At a recent tasting of six different worldly rosés, even burgeoning Wineaux admitted an early reluctance to embracing the pink.  Afterwards, however, each one had become tantalized by the aromas, flavors and freshness of these wines.  Lest the Minx say, "I told you so," go out there with an open mind and an excited palate and give rosé wines a chance.

We began with a 2010 Château de Pourcieux Rosé from Provence in France, a blend of syrah, grenache and cinsault - grapes that grow beautifully in the Mediterranean climate and chalky, gravelly clay soil of the south of France.  This had a very pale salmon/rose color with a nose of red berries and evident minerality.  In the mouth it showed raspberry, strawberry, rose petals and minerals, well-balanced but not overly acidic.  [WM 89]  A big hit early on, the Ch. de Pourcieux remained a favorite of the tasting.

Next stop was Greece, for a 2010 Kir-Yianni Akakies Rosé.  The only Greek AOC rosé, it is made of 100% Xinomavro.  With a bright raspberry color and a very unusual nose of green tomato, it had flavors of Fuji apple, cranberry and mint, with earthy elements.  I wished I had thought to pick up some feta cheese and stuffed grape leaves; it might have been the perfect accompaniment!  [WM: 87]  A few tasters were put off by the unusual notes exhibited, but I kept returning to its interesting complexity.

Heading east to Italy, we tried the 2010 Cantina del Taburno Albarosa Rosé, made from 100% Aglianico.  Red wines from this grape can be incredibly powerful, so the winemakers take care not to let the wine stay in contact with the grape skins too long.  It was indeed fairly light in color with a pinky-red hue.  This rosé had a wonderful perfumey nose of honeysuckle and rose petals, with a little soapy scent.  Nicely floral and with great strawberry and herb notes, I wished it was a little more acidic.  But it was one of my favorites of the tasting, and didn't last long after everyone had left!  [WM:89]

From Italy, we ventured to the Basque region of NW Spain for the 2010 Ameztoi Txakolina Rubentis Rosé.  The important word is Txakolina, or Txakoli - pronounced "Chac-o-lee-na/Chac-o-lee," which is the name of the type of wine, not the grape variety.  Those are Hondarribi Zuri and Hondarribi Belta.  White Txakolis are a little more common, and have become a favorite in-the-know wine for many Wineaux.  With nice CO2 "shpritz" and a super-light palate cleansing essence, they are ideal for the hottest of summer days.  (I say just stick a straw in the bottle and you're good!)  I had never personally tasted a rosé Txakoli, and at first had thought it would be so light and a great start to the tasting, but pushed it down in the order after popping the cork.  Definitely not "so light!"  With a pale red berry color, it had a nose of tangerine peel and 'dirty sock,' great CO2, bright acidity and a refreshing cranberry note at the finish, with definite earthiness.  [WM: 86]  While the "ginger ale"y feel (one taster's opinion) did not appeal to all, many agreed it was indeed the most refreshing of the group by far.

Long Island wineries have had a great deal of success with rosé wines, so I chose the 2010 Shinn Estate Rosé as our bottle from the U.S.  Made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it was raspberry red in color.  Some of the tasters were fearful of that brightness translating into sweetness, and were pleasantly surprised at the spicy, grassy, earthy nose with a fresh note of watermelon.  It had a wonderful acidity, clear, strong cherry in the mouth, and a pleasant creaminess.  [WM:88]  One taster (who is a musician) pronounced it "B-flat," which, unlike the letter grade of B-minus, is actually a compliment - meaning that it felt like the most middle-ground of the wines.  (B-flat is concert pitch, to which the entire orchestra tunes.)

Finally, we tasted the 2010 Boekenhoutskloof Wolftrap Rosé from South Africa.  A blend of 66% Syrah, 20% Cinsault and 14% Grenache, it was another favorite of the group, although stylistically very different than the similarly-blended rosé from Provence.  With a deep red/pink color, it had a nose of green pepper and mint, and was bold and spicy on the palate, with strawberries and a little watermelon.  I felt the heat of alcohol, spurning me into a frenzied search for all of the wines' alcohol percentages, and sure enough, I was correct; with 13.5%, it had the highest amount of all we'd tasted.  (Most were in the 12-13% range.)  What can I say?  The Minx likes to be right.  [WM: 89]

At the end of the day, notes were put aside, and the tasters revisited their favorites - leaving behind a number of empty bottles for the recycling bin.  One taster remarked that she was no longer going to be intimidated to try rosés, another commented on the surprising variety even in such a relatively small sample of wines.  It's all true - rosés are refreshing, interesting, quaffable, and complex.  Be sure to give one a try - like I said, these are absolutely not Yo Momma's White Zin.