One Wine Please

I was staying in Paris at an Airbnb. Everything worked out perfectly, if you haven't used this service, I definitely recommend it.  Although you have to remember that you are not staying at a hotel, it is definitely somebody's apartment. Here, there were a couple of roommates. I spoke with them when I checked in and gave them my "story". I let them know that I was a Sommelier and one immediately said, "Oh, my sister's boyfriend is a Sommelier. He just opened a wine bar. You should check it out." Absolutely!

So I walked about 25 minutes in a light rain to the neighborhood where this wine bar was. I found it and opened the door to find a very quaint little "wine bar". Wood racks containing various bottles, a high top wood table with five guests enjoying a glass, and behind that three guests resting on stools at the bar. A young man approached me and asked, "May I help you?" Apparently I don't even look French. I replied, "Bonsoir, I am staying with Emilie and her sister, Stephane who is the girlfriend of Mathew." "Yes," he said. Nothing huh? Ok. "Um, I am a sommelier and they told me I should come and see this wine bar. Um, do you have wine here?" "Yes of course, how many?" "Um, just one wine please," I replied. "Alright, right this way." He then proceeded to lead me to the back of the "wine bar" where there was a single table set up. So I sat down and he brought me the list. When he returned, I asked him for a recommendation and he offered me the Pinot Noir from the Loire Valley (a great recommendation).  He delivered the wine and said, "Enjoy," and left.  So there I was, sitting at a table by myself in the back of a french wine bar having a single glass of wine by myself. Classic.

I ended up trying to engage with the Sommelier a little further to discuss wines and wine tasting and the difference between Sommelier in the US and France.  The conversation was mostly one sided (as you can imagine) and lasted about five minutes. So I had my single glass of wine, but provided myself with my own notes...2014 Chinon by Domaine N. Grosbois: bright vegetal characteristics, jalapeño, spicy, bell peppers, red underripe cherries, delicate on the palate, light finish, young with minimal acidity, soft and delicious. Serve with Braised Lamb Shank with a subtle mint sauce.   

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What exactly is a Rosé?

Don’t be afraid of rosé! They are fantastic wines that often pair with most foods and are perfect for trips to the beach, light lunches, or afternoon charcuterie as one is wont to have in Provence!

Rosé, whether sparkling or still, means one thing, that the wine comes from red grapes and has spent a minor amount of time “on the skins”, which is the key to a wine’s color.  All juice from grapes is clear (what?), meaning that if you press a grape that is either yellow or red, the juice will be clear (except for extremely rare cases called Teinturier).  Therefore you can get white wine from red grapes (also very rare), but you must have red grapes to make red wine.  How wine gets its color is dependent on the time that juice spends soaking and fermenting with (or “on”) the skins.  This process also imparts varying degrees of flavor and texture (to be discussed in other posts). A rosé wine spends considerably less time soaking on the skins and therefore is not considered a red wine.

Essentially rosé can be made from any red grape, but winemakers through the centuries have found that certain grapes make better rosé.  In Cotê de Provence, where arguably the best rosé comes from (not arguably, they are the best) the predominant grape is Grenache (at least 60% by law), with Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre, and Carignan playing supporting roles. It’s important to note that Pinot Noir also makes exceptional rosé in other parts of the word (if you see one, try it!).

Rosé ranges in color from pale “onion” skin orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the varietals used and winemaking techniques.  My mom always chooses rose by color, “the paler the better” is her motto, and she is not often wrong. As mentioned before, the color of the wine comes from the time the juice spends in contact with the skin and the more contact with the skin brings more full, direct, and sometimes sharper flavors. Personally, I like a very pale pink rosé, usually delivering balanced acidity, light strawberry and raspberry notes, and a very refreshing drinkability, but test 'em out to see which type you like best. Cheers!

The best way to enjoy rosé

The Wine of Sardegna

Vermentino is widely planted in Sardinia as the grape likes the cool Mediterranean climate.  If done right, it is an excellent combination of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, with crisp minerality, direct acidity, and a medium to full body. On the nose, this white wine is upfront with pear and white peach notes, and an herbal grassiness followed by green apples.  It is the perfect compliment for Sardinian dishes featuring seafood; tuna, sea bass, and my favorite, lobster.

Sardinia's red claim to fame is Cannonau or known elsewhere as Grenache. Sardinians hold firm the belief that they were the first to grow the grape and when the Spanish came to colonize, brought it back to Spain in the form of Garnacha.  It is spicy with ripe black and red cherries on the palate, soft and usually full bodied in texture and form.  On the nose, black pepper and  terra-cotta with secondary notes of myrtle black currents create an interesting and complex invitation.  This upfront red pairs well with cured meats and pasta bolognese as well as with grilled steak and pork.