Category:Rose wine

Labor Day wine 2022

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

plates of marinated olives
A porch, chilled white wine, and plates of marinated olives. Yes, Labor Day.

Four wines to help celebrate Labor Day wine 2022

The Wine Curmudgeon pitched a Labor Day wine freelance story recently, and the editor was unimpressed. Her loss.

How could anyone not be ready for chilled wine — even the reds! — and sipped on a shaded place on the porch. And maybe some brats?

These four bottles will begin the holiday, but don’t be afraid to find your own — and don’t overlook the blog’s porch wine guidelines:

• Cantina Cellaro Luma 2019 ($12, purchased, 13%): Easily one of the best Sicilian nero d’avolas I’ve tasted in years — varietally correct, with dark, fresh, and almost plummy fruit, and even some substance and body. An honest wine, and not made to be smooth. Bring on the brats. Imported by Gonzalez Byass

• Trinennes Rose 2021  ($18, purchased, 12.5%): Yes, more money than I’d usually pay for rose, but well worth it. This is classic Provencal-stye rose — not much fruit (“wild strawberry”) and long and clean and stony. Missing garrigue, the herbal aroma, but that’s the only disappointment. Highly recommended. Imported by Sorting Table

• Garofoli Macrina 2020 ($13, purchased, 13%): This vintage of the Italian white isn’t as well rounded as the 2019, but there is still plenty of almonds, light citrus, and minerality on the finish. Bring on the olives. Imported by Garofoli USA

• Bellussi Prosecco NV ($13, purchased, 11%):  Soft but surprisingly structured extra dry Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine (so sweet). There is appealing candied lemon fruit, lots and lots of almost creamy bubbles, and a clean finish. Much better than I expected. Imported by Misa Imports

Photo: v2osk on Unsplash

For more about Labor Day wine:
• Labor Day wine 2021
• Labor Day wine 2020
• Labor Day wine 2019
• Wine of the week: Shannon Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Wine of the week: Mont Gravet Rose 2021

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Mont Gravet rose bottle
Mont Gravet Rose 2021/$7-$15

It’s Labor Day weekend, which means it’s time for this French pink

Yes, the Wine Curmudgeon tastes a lot of crappy wine. Yes, I have to deal with knucklehead PR people and talk to too many marketing types who think their brand is special because it’s their brand, all $25 and sweet, smooth of it.

So why do I keep doing this? Because I get to tell the blog’s readers – who care about wine in a way that almost no one else in wine does – about wines like this.

The Mont Gravet Riose 2021 ($10, purchased, 12%) is that kind of extraordinary wine. Each vintage, it delivers uncommon value and does so for around $10. Is it any wonder the Gravet rose has been in the Hall of Fame for almost as long as there has been one?

The 2021 is dry and very Provencal in nature — so wild strawberry fruit (but without the garrigue), stony, and clean. And, once again, it shows what the underappreciated cinsault, the grape used to make the wine, can do with rose.

What else to know? The Gravet is a step up from the blog’s beloved La Vieille Ferme pink, which is a recommendation in and of itself, and a reminder that you don’t need to spend more than $10 for great rose.

I wish all of those flocks of PR and marketing people could understood that – we’d all have more fun drinking wine.

Imported by Winesellers Ltd.

Mini-reviews 159: The “Four wines that are popular, but I’m not sure why” edition

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Angry man pointing at police
“Yes, you! I want to know why these wines are popular.”

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the fourth Friday of each month. This month, four wines that are popular for reasons I can’t figure out.

• Viña Robles The Arborist 2019 ($17, sample, 14.5%): California red blend is noticeably sweet — think chocolate cherry cough syrup. Which, apparently, lots of people like.

• Pasqua 11 Minutes Rose 2020 ($17, sample, 12.5%): Focus group-style Italian rose that is overpriced, underwhelming, and fairly bland — maybe a hint of stone fruit. And the bottle weighs 21 1/2 ounces, much too much. Imported by Pasqua USA

• Stel + Mar Rose NV ($13, sample, 12.7%): Bulk California rose with hipster label, berry fruit, and a touch of sweetness for those who like that. Taste this next to something from a quality producer, and you can tell the difference. And did you know that non-vintage dating is super cool these days?

• Be Human Red Blend 2018 ($15, sample, 14,5%): See the first review. That they taste so much alike, but come from different wine regions (this is Washington state), is just one more reason to worry about the future of the wine business.

Photo: “angry man 1” by Chris Gallagher1 is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

 

Porch wine 2022

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Chairs on a front porch
Does the chicken have the ice cubes?

Once again, why porch wine matters — and bring the ice cubes

I usually don’t update the porch wine post every year, but this year is special — and not just because of the 100-plus temperatures in Dallas. And those of you in Dallas who are angry at the blog’s unofficial weather forecaster — don’t you have something better to do?

Rather, I’m updating the post this year because Esther Mobley of the San Francisco Chronicle, of the most important members of the Winestream Media, says it’s OK to put ice cubes in your wine.

Welcome to the fight, Esther.

Porch wine is about lighter wines, red and white (and of course, rose), that are lower in alcohol and that offer relief from the heat. The idea with a porch wine is to drink something that won’t make the sweat bead on your forehead. The blog’s original porch post is here, and there is even a porch wine terms post.

And keep the ice cubes handy. These four wines will get you started:

• Zestos Blanco 2020 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): This Spanish white is one of the all-time great cheap wines, and the 2020 vintage may be the best ever — subtle and interesting, with less tart white fruit and maybe even some spice. Sure to make the shortlist for the 2022 Cheap Wine of the Year. Highly recommended. Imported by Ole & Obrigador

• Librandi Segno Bianco 2020 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): Well-made, varietally correct Italian white that uses the little known greco bianco grape. That means some lemon fruit as well as very clean and very crisp, if a bit thin. Imported by Winebow

• Château Laulerie Bergerac Rose 2021 ($10, purchased, 12%): Yummy cabernet sauvignon-based rose from southern France, with a little merlot to round it out. Almost raspberry fruit, some garrigue, and long on the finish, almost stony. Highly recommended. Imported by Skurnik Wines

• Brunellesco Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2019 ($10, purchased, 12%): This Italian red is much more savory and herbal than other wines from the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo region. The cherry fruit isn’t the only selling point. Highly recommended. Imported by Monsieur Tonton Selections

Photo: Taliesin vis Morguefile

More about porch wine:
• Memorial Day and rose 2022
• Update: Porch wine for the long, hot summer
• Wine of the week: Vinho verde 2022
• Wine of the week: Domaine Duffour Cotes de Gascogne 2020

Fourth of July wine 2022

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

super hero miniatures
“Quick — to the retailer before premiumization destroys all the quality cheap wine.”

Fourth of July wine 2022: Four bottles offering value and quality for Independence Day

This year, the U.S. is 246 years old — so here are wines worthy of that birthday. As always, keep our summer and porch wine guidelines in mind for this time of year.

Here are four wines to start with:

• Tormaresca Calafuria 2020 ($10, purchased, 12%): Once, the Italian Tormaresca Neprica was the blog’s favorite cheap red wine. Then, it went the way of the rest. So imagine my surprise to taste this Tormaresca pink —  a little fizzy, dark berry fruit, and a touch not light. Nicely done. Imported by Ste. Michelle Wine Estate

• Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($15, sample, 13.9%): Classic California sauvignon blanc — grassy, a bit of citrus, not too tart, and almost flinty. A three-generation family producer shows how it’s done.

• Trivento Malbec Reserve 2020 ($11, sample, 13.8%): Solid, professional Argentine red, made in the supermarket style — lots of sweet black fruit, but not a sweet wine and one that is mostly balanced. Previous vintages have been a little darker and earthier, but this is fine for what if tries to do. Barbecue? Indeed. Imported by Eagle Peak Estates

• Charles LaFitte Brut Prestige NV ($12, purchased, 12%): Entry-level French Methode Champenoise sparkling from a prestigious producer, but made far from Champagne. Yes, there is a bit of the 7-Up feel to it, but otherwise well-made cheap bubbly — some green apples, tight bubbles, and almost zesty. Imported by Vranken Pommery America

Photo: TFNY18_074c” by BAS Photog is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

More Fourth of July wine:
• Fourth of July wine 2021
• Fourth of July wine 2020
• Fourth of July wine 2019
• Wine of the week: Bonny Doon Picpoul 2021

Wine to drink while you’re waiting for the avocado pits to sprout

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

avocado pits in glasses
Will Dallas water lend terroir to my guacamole?

Because the WC isn’t going to be caught short of guacamole

Yes, an avocado shortage.

But the Wine Curmudgeon is undeterred. I got a couple of shot glasses, a handful of toothpicks, and my last two avocado pits. So, in six months or so, I should have a couple of avocado plants. Now, the shortage may be over by then, but one shouldn’t take any chances with guacamole.

Which leads us to the next step in my urban farming experiment: What wines to drink while I’m waiting for the pits to sprout? Roses and light whites, of course:

• Albamar Chardonnay 2021 ($12, sample, 13.5%): This Chilean white is stunning — clean, crisp, and refreshing, with green apple and pear fruit. The bad news? Only 1,000 cases were imported. Imported by Global Vineyard Importers

• Laurent Miquel Cinsault Syrah Rose 2021 ($11, purchased, 12.5%) One more reason why there’s no need to spend $20 on rose. This French pink has berry fruit, a bit of stoniness, and a clean finish. Imported by Frederick Wildman and Sons

• Amalaya Esperanza por un Milagro Rose 2021 ($10, purchased, 13%): Well-done Argentine-style rose, so more fruit (ripe red berries), less acidity (but not sweet), and more full in the mouth. The little bit of torrontes in the blend is a nice touch to round out the wine. Imported by The Hess Collection

Wine of the week: Vinho verde 2022

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Four women drinking wine
“Did you see what the WC said about vinho verde? We need to get some.”

There’s lots and lots of vinho verde available, but prices have gone up and quality is inconsistent

Vinho verde, the much maligned Portuguese white wine (and sometimes rose) with a little sweetness that usually doesn’t cost more than $8 or $9, has made the big time. How do I know this?

First, my local Total Wine carries eight private label vinhos. Say what you will about Total, the chain knows what sells. And if it has eight private labels, it must be selling lots and lots of vinho verde.

Second, this year’s version of the Casal Garcia got 90 points from a big-time member of the Winestream Media. It almost doesn’t matter if the wine is that well-made (it isn’t); what matters is that the Winestream Media is taking vinho seriously after years of lumping it with the rest of the cheap wine they ignore.

Neither of those, unfortunately, is good news. All that attention means prices are higher – I’ve seen $15 vinho verde, which would have been unheard of before the pandemic. And this year’s quality was disappointingly inconsistent. There was some old-fashioned 7Up fizz wine out there, something I haven’t tasted in several years.

The blog’s vinho verde primer is here. The wines are usually non-vintage, with slightly sweet lemon-lime or apple fruit, low alcohol, and a little fizz — all of which makes it ideal for hot weather. Most of the cheapest wines, like Santola, Famega, Casal Garcia, and Gazela (and that often have a crab on the label), are made by the same couple of companies but sold under different names to different retailers.

The three most dependable vinho verdes are the Broadbent ($9, 9%), which has been a little softer the past couple of years but still sets the standard; and the Faisao white and rose ($8/1-liter bottle, 10%). The rose remains Hall of Fame quality, somehow sweet, tart, and refreshing at the same time, while the white is only slightly less impressive.

Check out these other vinho verdes:

• Nobilis Vinho Verde NV ($9, purchased, 9%): Total Wine knockoff of the Broadbent (but that may be available elsewhere) that isn’t as full or as interesting. Having said that, still enjoyable (spritzy, lemon-lime fruit). And it comes with a nutrition facts label – just 87 calories and 2 grams of carbs. Who knew? Worth buying just for that. Imported by Evaton

• Vera Vinho Verde Rose 2021 ($12, sample, 12.5%): More complex pink vinho verde, with fresh strawberry fruit and almost pleasing sweetness. Would that California wines that pass themselves off as dry (and you know who you are) handle sweetness this well. Highly recommended. Imported by Ole & Obrigado

• Casal Garcia Vinho Verde NV ($6, purchased, 9.5%): This is as old-fashioned as vinho gets – the 7Up fizz, obviously sweet, and a hint of citrus fruit. Bring on the 100-degree days. Imported by Avelada

More about vinho verde:
• Vinho verde review 2021
• Vinho verde review 2020
• Vinho verde review 2019
• Why aren’t we drinking more Portuguese wine?

Photo: “21 Leaders 2012 Honoree Robin Read and Women’s eNews Board Member June Cross” by WeNews is licensed under CC BY 2.0