Kicking Back: Argentina, Brews, and Sherry

You all know I spend a great deal of time tasting as a professional. Dissecting wines, spirits, beers, and any other beverage is just what I do. However, I also like to kick back over the weekend and simply enjoy something without thinking about it (too much). OK, fine…I taste the first mouthful critically, figure out what is going on, then savor it while watching a movie, dining out, or for nothing more than straightforward pleasure.

And what good is it if I taste these wonderful things and then not share them with you? So here we go with a run-down of everything I sampled over the weekend. It will give you something to consider when expanding your drinking horizons.

Domaine Bousquet Virgen Red Blend Mendoza

It is appropriate that I would have this wine during Lent as this Certified Organic Argentinian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc is Vegan-Friendly (so no animal products were used during the fining process). No oak, no filtration, and no sulfites added, Virgen is packed with blackberry and blueberry fruit flavor and a slight floral/herbaceous note on the nose that complements the fruity fragrance. 14.5% ABV. $15

Firestone Walker Lager, Paso Robles, California

From the Firestone Walker website:

In the words of Brewmaster Matt Brynildson, "Firestone Lager is made for drinking, not thinking. It's about enjoying a good, clean beer."

I couldn’t agree more. When hanging with the family at the Jealous Monk, I wanted something easy to help me wash down the plate of sausage, spaetzle, pierogies, and sauerkraut I ordered for dinner. This German-style Helles has touch of malt and hint of bitterness, which is all I needed. This is a real crowd-pleaser that has lawnmower beer potential. 4.5% ABV, IBU: 17, $10/6-pack

New England Cider Company Passion Fruit Cider, Wallingford, Connecticut

There have been many times I have seen ciders from these folks, and I have passed over them wondering if it would be too sweet. Well, The Greatest Wife In The World ordered this with Fish & Chips, and it was pretty damn tasty. A sweeter cider, but not sticky or cloying at all as it was very well-balanced with a nice zing of acidity. The passion fruit flavor enhanced the fruitiness of the cider, too. Kudos to the New England Cider Company on this seasonal release! 5.2% ABV, $11/6-pack (estimated)

To close out the weekend, I revisited a wine from a recent program we did at the store with Lustau Sherry, the Almacenista José Luis González Obregón Fino del Puerto. Yes, this is a mouthful to say, but you know what? This bone dry, tangy, nutty Sherry is a perfect partner with nuts, olives, cured meats, and a range of hard cheeses. It’s also so good, the entire Lustau evening deserves a post of its own (hint, hint…). 15% ABV. $17/500mL bottle.

How To Write Meaningful Wine Tasting Notes

Make the wines mean something to you.

When you are out shopping for wines, let’s face it…there is an overwhelming number of them to choose from. Part of the fun in trying different wines is tapping into your palate; understanding what you like and what you don’t like are equally important. So what better way to document the journey of wine exploration by writing some tasting notes?

“But Tony,” you may be asking, “where do I begin?”

This is a fair question, because if you are going to do it, you want it to have meaningful data that you can refer back to at some point in the future. I feel very confident in saying that you all know what you like when it comes to flavors and aromas. The hard part can be articulating the sensations you are getting as you try a wine for the first time. Not only will you be getting know a wine for yourself, but chances are you may be sharing information about this wine with friends, family, acquaintances (and enemies, if you think a wine is terrible).

Your notes need to be somewhere in between…

“This is good.”

and:

“A lovely bouquet of narcissus and lilac leap out of the glass followed by candied pineapple and lemon curd. The kaleidoscope of aromas is joined by citrus fruit, crushed stone, and lightly toasted bread. The palate is expansive and rich on the attack, but tightens up some on the energetic finish.”

Side note: If I ever discuss a wine and I write a something like the above actual tasting note I read this week, feel free to unfollow/unfriend/disown me. It’s not my style. I am trying to pull you into wine, not push you away. I guess a daffodil (a.k.a. “narcissus”) doesn’t invoke enough of a romantic image, and who knew you could smell through a kaleidoscope! [end rant].

My (half) kidding aside, make your notes in a way that you and others can understand. There’s no need to go out of your way to write down a fancy descriptor (unless that flavor/aroma obviously shows itself AND your circle of friends will recognize it). You can use a wine journal geared toward tasting, a plain old spiral notebook, or an app. So let’s go step-by-step…

Observe It

Color is not going to indicate quality, but will help you see faults. For example, if you opened a 2018 unoaked Sauvignon Blanc from Chile and it pours cloudy and brown instead of star bright and lemon yellow, throw it away. If the white wine is golden or amber colored rather than water white or green-yellow, it could be a sign of age. If the color of a red wine is more brick red rather than purple-ruby, chances are you are looking at a red wine with some age on it. If the red wine is pale in color, don’t be put off…color intensity does not equate to quality; many times it can just be indicative of a grape variety. For instance, Nebbiolo wines from Piedmont are pale and delicate in color, but loaded with flavor and structural components (acid, alcohol, tannins) made for long-aging in a cellar. An $8 large brand red blend from Chile may be deep in color, but flavors could be one-dimensional and finish short on you. As for looking for tears or “legs” on a glass of wine after you swirl it, they’re pretty but they mean absolutely nothing when you want to assess quality. Make a note on color and then…

Smell It

If you can identify specific flowers you smell in a wine, go for it, but if you are not totally sure you can always call the wine “floral.”

Does your wine smell like wet cardboard or a musty basement? If so, the wine isn’t bad for your health, but it is likely going to minimize your enjoyment. This is courtesy of “cork taint.” If we have avoided that, then start noting what you are smelling.

You can group aromas into categories to keep them simple and more generic. Is the wine floral? Fruity? Do you smell spices? Does the wine smell “green” with earthy, herbaceous, or unripe aromas? Do you smell something nutty or woody? These are easy to use when you are unsure of what you are smelling, because these categories are distinct from one another. If you want to dive into specific flowers (i.e. violets), fruits (i.e. peaches), spices (i.e. cinnamon), and herbs and grasses, go for it. From there, how intense are the aromas…Light or strong? Make notes on intensity and types of aromas you get on the nose, then…

Taste It

A mouthful to swirl around in your mouth so you get all the sensations is all you need; this helps you determine if you mouth waters (presence of acid), dries out (presence of tannin), feels fiery in the back of your throat (presence of alcohol), or comes off as sweet. See if anything you smelled earlier is confirmed on your palate. Sometimes a wine that is spicy on the nose tastes fruity, or vice-versa. Notice if the texture feels light-bodied and on the watery side or full-bodied and creamy. Maybe the texture feel somewhere in-between. A wine feels balanced on the palate when none of these aspects is screaming out for attention over the others. After making notes on how the wine tastes…

Savor It

This is possibly your best indicator of combined quality and enjoyment. Do the pleasant flavors linger on your palate after you close your mouth and swallow the wine? No alcohol burn? Is it refreshing with acidity? Is there an interesting flavor that stands out? Are there many flavors going on that you can’t quite pick out, but make you feel happy? These are all components of wine that make you want to go back for another sip. If the flavors hit you quickly in the beginning but fade fast, or the alcohol burns, or the fruit intensity doesn’t feel in balance with the acids and tannins, the wine may not be as enjoyable after multiple sips. Make notes of these items, then…

Personalize It

If drinking a wine reminds you of this, jot it down! Image credit: Food Network

I spend a whole lot of time researching, analyzing, and critically tasting wines. While it is a part of my job that I really like, there is nothing like adding something personal to it. Did the wine smell like a botanical garden you walked through one Saturday afternoon? Make note of it. Did you have the wine with friends at dinner somewhere? Write that down. Did you open a bottle for a special occasion? Does the wine remind you of something from childhood? The Boss at Divine Wine always remarks how a good Argentine Malbec reminds him of blueberry pie baking when he was a kid. This is how you make a meaningful connection to the wines you drink.

Share It

Was it good? Really good? The best wine you ever had? Share it with others. Talk about it over lunch. Share it on Facebook or Instagram. Let your retailers and restaurants know how good the wines are. This kind of feedback helps everyone stay in business.

Now you should have a solid picture of what you just tasted. Snap a pic of the label/bottle. Make sure you write down the name of the wine and the vintage. Check out the back label and note who the importer or supplier is, and you may begin to see a pattern of what you like based on that particular portfolio.

Want an example of finished tasting notes? Check this out straight from my own notebook below. All written in plain language, no bizarre terminology. You can do this.

Wine: Menade Rueda Verdejo

Supplier/Importer: European Cellars

Vintage: 2016

Price: $15

Color: Golden

Nose: Green olives, thyme, nutty. Aromas are intense.

Palate: Medium-bodied with texture, no alcohol burn, green apples, earthy, nutty, and savory.

Finish: Refreshing acidity, flavors stay with me for a while.

Overall impression: Very good for the dollar and Organic. Reminds me of the plates of olives and bread we get at Becco in NYC. I dig the label, too.

As always, if you have questions, please get in touch with a comment below. Good luck in developing your own library of tasting notes!

Building A Case For Value

It's not that often these days where I am actively working the sales floor at the store. However in the past and when I help out on the big holidays at Divine Wine, a customer presents me the following:

"Hi! I would like to buy a case of wine, but I am not sure what I want. Can you help me?"

Yes! This is what I do. It's my livelihood. I always get excited at the opportunity to send customers home with 12 bottles of wine that (hopefully) they will enjoy with friends, family, colleagues, or just by themselves on a random Wednesday night.

Now, there is a key component to the statement above: "I am not sure what I want." In general, wine drinkers know what they like, but in this instance I get the impression that my customers are hesitant to step outside of their comfort zone. After all, they are buying a full case of wine so people are investing their hard-earned dollars in me and my recommendations. Of course if you choose to make your own choices, which you are perfectly capable of doing, I won't treat you as if you were having a touch time choosing a dozen donuts:

No matter whether you decide to choose specific wines on your own or ask me for help, I have a way for you to structure how you go about purchasing a case of wine. For today, I am focusing on the everyday/value bottles. Consider this to be the $120-$150 range when all is said and done. Keep in mind that many retailers will take anywhere from 10-20% off of a purchase of a case of wine with the ability to mix and match how you see fit. Let's dive into some things to consider when building your case from a perspective of seeking value.

Find your brands:

As much as I love to show you something from a small artisanal producer from some remote corner of France, the fact is that your larger, well-known brands will be easy to come by. Additionally, depending on the size of the retail store, their purchasing power will dictate how low they can keep prices. So you might encounter that Alamos Malbec, Blackstone Merlot, Concha y Toro Chilean red blend for a very inexpensive price already, all of which make great house wines or something you can offer a guest at a party who is looking to have something familiar. You can score some of your favorite brands for as little as $7 per bottle in some places. However...

Include some lesser-known regions and grape varieties:

Know what Corbieres is? In context of this post, who cares? Just know that some great Cinsault-based pink wine is being made here for $12.

If you are shopping at a good store offering the combination of knowledgeable and friendly customer service, chances are high that the overwhelming majority of wines on the shelves will be at minimum, drinkable and at best, very exciting. So if you see a red wine from Portugal made with Touriga Nacional for $10, grab it. A rosé from Languedoc, France made with Cinsault for $12? Get it. A South African Chenin Blanc for $10? Go for it. There are tons of examples from Italy and Spain, too. Piedmont and Tuscany get tons of love (and accompanying higher prices to match) in Italy, but Puglia, Sicily, and the Veneto regions can frequently offer you significant value. Additionally, Spain still has an incredible quality-to-price ratio, maybe the best of any country right now. There is a ton to choose from.

Find "declassified" wines from a European producer:

Naming conventions and labeling rules for wines in Europe will often refer to a geography, which is most evident in the wines of France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Lets say you have a producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a specific wine zone in the Rhône Valley of France with a set of rules for making wine. Chances are that the same producer might make a wine from a larger area, different grape varieties than are permitted in the "Grand Vin" of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or less stringent production rules to make a Côtes du Rhône wine, costing you a fraction of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Côtes du Rhône is a broader geographical area with more flexibility in rules for producing wines.

Another example comes from the Loire Valley. Sancerre's white wines are made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc in the Sancerre region. However, if the wine is made from vines outside of Sancerre, or don't adhere to technical aspects like vine age or yield control, then the wine might be labeled "Vin de France Sauvignon Blanc" such as the example below from Domaine de la Perriere.

Both wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the same property owner, but the Sancerre is costing you $25. The one labeled Sauvignon Blanc? $10. This is a great way to go value-hunting. It might take a little digging around and a bit of research, but finding this kind of information will help save you several dollars.

Don't forget sparkling wine!

Look, we can't drink Champagne all the time, nor should Champagne and other sparkling wines only be reserved for special occasions. A bottle of bubbly as part of your case is a must-have. Best of all, you can find a fruity sparkling wine like Prosecco, or you can find Cava (Spain's sparkling wine made using Champagne's process, but with native grape varieties) can often be found at a bargain. For less than $15, you can spot one of each without a problem. Then you can pop the cork anytime you see fit, because you will have a bottle on-hand and ready to go, special occasion to celebrate, or not.

Why don't we do this...let's take some of these wines and stick them in the box. Then we'll add a few more, total it up, and you will see how you can build your mixed case of goodies to take home. Prices are approximate, and I will use 10% as the case discount as a conservative estimate. These are all wines I have tried and would recommend to anyone looking for a solid variety pack case that includes many styles of wines.

Mionetto Il Prosecco Brut, $11, a simple, easy-drink bottle of fruity sparkler, great for casual parties and Mimosas.

Fonseca Twin Vines Vinho Verde, $8, Vinho Verde is a light, low-alcohol, slightly fizzy citrusy wine from the northeastern corner of Portugal.

La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc, $10, this is the declassified Sancerre from above

Cantine Paolini Sicilia Pinot Grigio, $10, this Sicilian Pinot Grigio has some flavor to it, with melon and tropical fruit.

Tormentoso Old Vine Paarl (South Africa) Chenin Blanc, $13, try some Chenin Blanc as a Chardonnay alternative, plus a wine from South Africa. A region and a grape that deserves your love and attention.

Domaine Sainte Eugenie Corbieres Rose, $12, an unbelievably fruit-but-dry rose wine from southern France. Provence, for all of its delicate fruit and herbs that I really enjoy, does not have the fruit-forwardness of this wine.

Parolvini Barone Nero Veneto Red Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Refosco, Malbec), $12, an interesting blend that includes the native northeastern Italian variety of Refosco, which has a leathery, violet-scented character. It plays so well with the deep, dark fruit of the other two grapes, and it's not every day you see Malbec being grown in Italy.

Azul Portugal Douro Red Blend, $11, a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Franca. All of these grapes go into Port wines, but when vinified as a dry wine, it gives you plenty of structure and fruit with a bit of smokiness.

Domaine Bousquet Mendoza Malbec, $11, there is a proliferation of Argentine Malbecs out there, and for the money Bousquet delivers so well.

Bodegas Atalaya Almansa Laya Red Blend, $10, this is a blend of Monastrell (a powerful, dense, chewy high-alcohol red wine variety), and Garnacha Tintorera (one of the few red varieties whose pulp and juice is red also).

Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Winemaker's Red Blend, $10, an easy-drinking staple in the large Chilean Concha y Toro winery's lineup. Fresh black fruit, licorice, and a touch of green bell pepper.

Gnarly Head 1924 Lodi Red Blend, $10, an opulent, blackberry jam and raisiny wine that is very soft on the palate.

Total for the 12 wines is $128. Take 10% off, and that's $115.20. Connecticut sales tax is 6.35%, so that gets us to a grand total of $122.52. That puts us in the lower range of what I categorized above. You are getting a nice spread of regions and grape varieties in this, too. Keep in mind that I have also listed these in order of how you might want to taste them if you were to do an absurd 12-bottle flight!

Hopefully, this gives you a great starting point in building your own case, but as always you know where to find me if you have questions. Good luck!

Back to Basics: Premium Blends Around The World

You may have noticed that a lot of my posts have been of the exotic variety of late. Aside from recapping vacation adventures, I have gone into great detail on cocktails, plenty of spirits, and unusual grape varieties. So today, it's time to ease up on the gas a little and get back to basics with some good straight-up wine discussion. In this edition of Flight School, I share with you some classic and interesting red and white blends of which I have really received a high level of enjoyment from.

Franciscan Estate Winery does a blending class on-site, but we were fortunate to get one of their blending kits for our classroom. Image credit: Franciscan Estate

At the store, we once ran a blending session using Franciscan Estate's "Magnificat" as our reference point, a kit that is sold by the winery. It is a lot of fun to take the five grapes from the Magnificat (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) and create your own wine in the proportions you see fit. Tasting your own "Franken-wine" alongside the Magnificat is a great practical exercise in how the different grape varieties play off of one another.

When it comes to wine blends, remember that there is always a method to the madness. While it used to be that some producers would just throw disorganized grapes into the fermentation vats and make a wine from them, individual grape varieties are bringing something to the party. The goal is for the grapes to work in harmony to achieve a desired style. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, for example, have long been partners in Bordeaux wines; Cabernet's "structure" (acid, tannin, and aromatics) have often been a foil for Merlot's plush texture and ripe fruit flavor. However, one can also amplify a specific characteristic in a blend. In an example like this, A Merlot-Malbec blend in Argentina will feel ultra-soft on your palate with very ripe fruit flavors since the two grapes have some marked similarities.

I have three whites and three reds for you to try that have been recent favorites of mine. None of these break the bank and provide you with casual, yet interesting wines to enjoy.

The White Wine Flight

Wieninger Wiener Gemischter Satz ($20): You may remember me mentioning "Gentil" blends as a way to get introduced to the grapes of Alsace, France. Gemischter Satz is a similar concept in Austria. This particular blend is mostly Grüner Veltliner, Weissburgunder, Welschriesling, and Chardonnay, but there are smaller proportions of many local varieties like Riesling, Rotgipfler, Zierfandler, Sylvaner, Traminer, Neuberger. The producer refers to this as "All of Vienna in One Wine." This is aromatic and fresh with delicate citrus and stone fruits, along with some minerally/earthy notes. Perfect with lighter seafood dishes or as a counter to Wiener Schnitzel!

Domaine Lafage Côtes Catalanes "Côté Est" ($14): The Côtes Catalanes region of France near the Spanish border is delivering great value with these unique blends of native and international varieties. Côté Est uses Grenache Blanc (popular for its body, alcohol, and tropical fruit), Roussanne (a high-acid aromatic white grape of the Rhône Valley) and the well-known Chardonnay. The end result is a vibrant, yet creamy white wine with pineapple, apricot, and wild herbs.

Castellargo Friuli Grave "Albus" ($16): Friuli is tucked away in the far northeast of Italy, touching the Austrian and Slovenian borders. Native grape Friulano is blended in near equal proportions with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to create a pungent citrus, herbaceous, earthy wine with some texture on the palate and a slightly floral nose. Delicious with a pasta of fresh herbs and green veggies.

The Red Wine Flight

Viberti Langhe "Dolbà" Rosso ($16): The "Dolbà" refers to the blend of Dolcetto (40%) and Barbera (60%). Dolcetto (translates to "the little sweet one") when fully ripened gives you wines with dark berry, almost jammy fruit that has some tannin and strong aromatics. Barbera is the workhorse grape of the Piedmont area, and in this case provides plenty of acid and fresh red cherry fruit to counter the Dolcetto. A wonderful pizza wine!

Domaine de la Solitude Côtes du Rhône ($18): Solitude is a well-regarded producer of the ageworthy Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In some ways, this is the "baby version" of their flagship wine. 50% Grenache (for body and berry fruit flavor), 30% Syrah (for dark, earthy fruit, acid, and tannin), 15% Cinsault (for juicy red raspberry fruit and acid), and 5% Carignan (for additional "structure" such as acid and tannin). What you get is a well-balanced, versatile red blend that goes great with anything from a burger in summertime to a hearty stew in winter.

Graffigna Centenario Elevation San Juan Red Blend ($14): This is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec (both well-suited for many Argentine wines), Syrah, Tannat (an old Southwestern French grape that actually thrives in neighboring Uruguay!) and Bonarda (a fruity red grape that gets lost in the shuffle at times). Tannat's structural and dark fruit content are very high, and Bonarda's fruitiness and full body help counter the aggressiveness of Tannat (which takes its name from "tannin"). The Syrah actually adds a touch of smokiness to the finished wine, too. Sear a cut of red meat, pour a glass of the Elevation, and be happy!

Raise A Glass To Freedom: What To Drink On Independence Day

As you know, I spend a lot of time on this blog promoting the virtues of adult beverages from all over the world. You have seen all kinds of unique grape varieties show up in wines I want you to check out from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, South America, and all throughout Europe. There is an enormous range of spirits out there; you can find plenty of whisk(e)y and vodka from just about any country, and you know how highly I have spoken of Tequila and Gin, too. I am even trying to be good about giving beer some love here on top of all of that.

But as we approach The United States of America's 241st birthday, it's time to celebrate in style with some fine native drinks. America was founded on being bold and daring; I do that here by getting you to consider drinking something you may never have thought to seek out on your own. Yet for this celebration, I want you to stay close to home. Drink something from America with bold flavors! Chances are, those intense flavors are going to play nicely with your barbecues this long weekend. For instance...

Wine fans: drink up our classic regions like Napa Valley, which put the United States on the map for serious wine production. Live on the East Coast? Now is a good time to try something from New York or Virginia. Additionally, try one of your local wines; maybe it isn't even made from grapes. For instance, when I worked in New Jersey, blueberry and cranberry wines were very popular for casual wine lovers.

Whiskey fans: nothing is more American than Bourbon. It can't be made in any other country and call itself "Bourbon." You could even take things a step further with Rye whiskey, which was very popular way back in the Colonial days in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Not a whiskey fan, but you like spirits? There is nothing wrong with spiking your beverage with some local craft gin, rum, or vodka

Beer fans: you have more choice than ever before when it comes to craft beer. Again, seek out a local brewery, or if you want to play to the American Revolution, Sam Adams has always delivered for me when I get paralyzed by choices.

I am going to give you an option in each category and share a cocktail that we love making at this time of year. Have a friend in North Carolina or Washington state? Raise a glass to them. Have an enemy in Texas or Illinois? Raise a glass to those folks, too. Chances are that while they are driving you crazy, they are helping you stay on your toes. With that, have a safe 4th of July holiday and enjoy these beverages responsibly.

7 Moons California Red Blend ($12): I poured this at our store's 15th Anniversary Tasting and it went over incredibly well thanks to its jammy red and black fruit along touch of vanilla and spice. This is made up of seven grape varieties: Zinfandel, Merlot, Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec. It's a tasty "wine stew" that will go very well with a simple beef burger.

Russell's Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon ($40) and 6 Year Rye ($40): Go big, or go home. Part of the Wild Turkey range, Russell's Reserve has bold flavor, spiciness and richness. The Bourbon is like caramel-coated cherries and vanilla. I enjoy the citrusy aromatic intensity of the 6 Year Rye on its own, but mixed with equal parts Regatta Ginger Beer, it is a simple cocktail to help you beat the heat.

Two Roads No Limits Hefeweizen ($8/4-pack of 16 oz cans): Some love for a Connecticut brewery! The Hefeweizen is great for the summer with just 5% abv, tropical fruit flavor and a refreshing citrus kick on the finish.

Here is the cocktail we love at this time of year: Rosé, Bourbon, and Blue, which comes from Bon Appetit's The Grilling Book, an unbelievable book I received one Father's Day that has killer food recipes and some interesting cocktails (non-alcoholic versions, too!). Even if you aren't a Bourbon fan, I will bet you anything that you will enjoy this.

Ingredients (Makes 8 cocktails):

7 Tbsp raw sugar

2 cups fresh blueberries, divided

The finished product.

2 cups freshly brewed unsweetened black tea (orange pekoe is highly recommended)

1.5 cups of fruity rosé wine (We used 90+ Cellars Languedoc rosé for $9.99, but a rosé from the Navarra region of Spain works nicely here, too. Sorry...we included something non-American.)

1 cup Bourbon (Our choice was Knob Creek 100 Proof. It's loaded with flavor and stands up to all the ingredients you will be adding)

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

8 lemon slices

Stir sugar with 7 Tbsp hot water in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved; transfer to a food processor. Add 1.5 cups blueberries and purée until smooth. Set a fine mesh strainer over a large pitcher. Strain blueberry mixture, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Add tea, rosé, Bourbon, and lemon juice. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Cut remaining blueberries in half; add to pitcher. Fill Old-Fashioned glasses (or any sturdy glasses) with ice. Divide cocktail among glasses and garnish with lemon slices.

Tall Tales Of Boozery: Summer Is The Only Time For Rosé

A lot of myths are floating around out there, many of which are just trivial common misconceptions. They don't necessarily matter, but still these things are just untrue beliefs: bulls hate the color red (nope, they're color blind) and Napoleon is short (5'7" was above average height in France). Others can impact health: don't wake up a sleepwalker (no, don't let them unknowingly hurt themselves) and alcohol will "warm you up" (alcohol actually drops your core temperature). Even "Fake News" has somehow become a thing (and a rabbit hole that I am not going down here).

Then we have the inexplicable myths, and one in the adult beverage business in particular that gets to me: rosé wine is a "summer" wine. You might be saying, "Hey...aren't you the guy who just gave me whiskies to drink when the seasons change?" or "Didn't you just tell us Grüner Veltliner is a good wine for springtime?" Why dispel a myth about seasonal drinking?

Yes and yes, and I did just shamelessly redirect you to two of my other pages to remind you that I did refer to some of these items. You know what? I'm guilty as charged. I tend to fall into this seasonal pattern of drinking, but to be fair I never said it was the right way or the only way to drink.

By the way, I do understand the allure of these pink wines when it's warm outside! Rosé plays well with a lot of different foods. Rosé's fruitiness is enhanced when chilled and has a thirst-quenching quality (even if we should be hydrating with water). You can turn cheap versions into pitchers of sangria.

However, rosé wines can be seductive at Valentine's Day. They can pull the Thanksgiving table together. They can work at a cocktail party on a random Saturday in October or as a killer sparkling wine with tapas at a restaurant on a night out in January. They work with the tricky rich and salty combination of foods like baked ham or "green" foods.

I believe that this "rosé is for summer" myth sprouted once rosé from the Provence region of France became very popular. Provençal rosé is light, dry, delicate, and delicious with light appetizers, salads, and seafood...things we tend to eat more of on warm days. The Provence style is an easy crowd-pleaser as you can satisfy a range of palates for a gathering. But what if you eat light year-round? What if you are a ravenous carnivore, whether you are outside grilling or pan-searing indoors? How about those winter holiday parties? If you are anything like my family in December, you would think we have 75 people coming over. There is more than light and delicate rosé out there.

Quick educational tangent: most times rosé wine is white winemaking with red grape varieties. Gently crush grapes, let the white juice run out into a tank, allow a short period of skin contact (to achieve desired color), and drain pink juice to a stainless steel tank ready for fermentation.

So maybe it's time I re-evaluate my own wine buying and drinking choices. Who says you can't have rosé at any time of year? Now is the perfect time to get tasting all the styles of rosé wine. Your retailer is getting them in on their shelves. You can ask for something you don't see and a good shop will be able to turn your request around in a day or two (assuming the distributor has the wine in stock or available to sell in your state of residence).

Let's stop making "rosé in summer" like "don't wear white after Labor Day." Here is a recommendation for several of styles of rosé out there, including a little bubbly. Just make sure you and I keep the momentum going together through September and beyond.

Mont Marçal Cava Rosado ($18)

This is a sparkling wine made from Trepat, a red Catalan grape variety that is well-suited for rosé winemaking thanks to its berry-scented fruitiness. This example has a strawberry jam on toast flavor that would make a great counterpoint to salty-umami appetizers featuring anchovies or capers.

Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence ($15)

A classic, moderately-priced rosé that we have consistent success with at the store. This is a traditional blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre that balances fresh red berry fruit with acidity. The ruby red grapefruit note in this wine is enhanced with a green salad with a basic vinaigrette. 

Adelsheim Willamette Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir ($17)

Now we start moving into wines with more body and texture. Adelsheim makes exquisite red wines from Pinot Noir, but their rosé bursts with strawberries and nectarines. The balance of body and acidity leads to food versatility and is a great match with more substantial dishes like poached chicken, baked ham or even a roast turkey.

Domaine Bousquet Mendoza Malbec-Cabernet Rosado ($12)

Bousquet's wines come from vineyards situated at absurd altitudes (over 4,000 feet above sea level), leading to grapes with high acid and deep color. The Malbec gives soft ripe berry fruit while the Cabernet contributes lively cherry fruit. I like this with a sturdy fish, such as tuna or swordfish with soft green herbs, or roast pork.

Peter Zemmer Alto Adige Lagrein ($19)

Lagrein is a variety that thrives in the northeast of Italy, giving wines with intense violet aromatics and dark berry fruit. When made as a rosé in this example from Peter Zemmer, the flavors are more cherry and raspberry-scented with rose petals and wild herbs. There is even a slight tannic bitterness that adds to the overall flavor. Our salesperson described this as a "steak wine" and I can't say I disagree! This is a perfect rosé to enjoy with red meat.

Drinking Among the Chaos

You haven't heard from me in over a week. Life has dealt me plenty of projects, runny noses, and baby sleep transitions so I have just been trying to sort through all of the chaos. This also means there hasn't been much time for drinking. While that's great for my liver, it's not so great for my ability to share new beverages, but such is life.

Notice how I said "much" time. After all, I'm still a professional with a job to do. You need to know what to enjoy when you are going through the same thing. You work your tails off all week long, and sometimes at the end of the night you just want to grab a glass of wine to enjoy without really thinking much about it. I know when I get into this kind of a mood, my only requirement is that it simply tastes good. I don't need some long, complex finish that I need to analyze to death. I'm not looking for subtlety and nuance. Just give me a good, straightforward wine.

So for these moments when we haven't had time to connect due to all of our commitments (and my brain has temporarily turned to mush), let's do a flight of three wines that are satisfying at any time...and they won't cost you an arm and a leg.

I'll be back soon, ready to chat like a grown-up again soon enough after my upcoming trip to the Michael Skurnik Wines Grand Portfolio Tasting in NYC. Enjoy!

Parolvini Barone Nero Veneto Red Blend ($11): The Barone Nero is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec (rare to find in Italy), and Refosco (a popular violet-scented northern Italian grape). This unusual combo yields a wine with lots of dark fruit and gentle tannins. Great with a sausage and pepper sandwich.

Claar Cellars Cabernet-Merlot White Bluff ($16): 60% Cabernet, 40% Merlot, 100% from Columbia Valley, Washington. Bright and ripe cherry, berry, and black plum fruit with a touch of cocoa. Full body, soft tannins, and the right amount of acidity to balance the wine. Delicious and easy-drinking.

St. Hallett "Faith" Barossa Shiraz ($15): Australia deserves a little love. After the "critter" wines infiltrated the U.S. market, we wrongfully stopped taking the wines seriously. What better way to get reacquainted with Aussie Shiraz with the St. Hallett...it has the blackberry jam, prune, and peppery spice that is widely associated with the Shiraz grape. Grab a bacon cheeseburger and get drinking!