Summer Blush

The warmth of July has put peachy-perfect color on our cheeks, and rosy pinks in our glass. What better way to spend a gorgeous Monday than with great friends, good food, and rosé, rosé, rosé!

Favorite pinks of the night were our Bandol & Provence wines (big surprise...) from France's southern coast. Ah, the french stuff. In their stunning Mediterranean climate they make delicate little rosés from mostly Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault, and they pair excellently with nearly everything---from charcuterie to barbecued steak! But especially...

Panzanella! It's a breezy summer tradition for the Italians, based on tomatoes, olives, and toasted bread. You know, the good stuff. Sublime summer eats.

Dreaming of Summer

After a marvelous walkabout of the Sokol Blosser grounds with our friend Lee, we hauled a couple-few pinks home in hopes of fair spring weather. I was attempting to save this little guy for a picnic, but ended up reaching in the fridge during a hideous downpour of my day off (Monday is the service industry's Saturday). I wished upon a cork for the sunshine to come soon, and despite the rain, this airy strawberries n' cream sipper tasted quite delightful. 

the Superlative Intoxicant: Diamonds on the Tongue

Chateau de Pampelonne Rosé, 2009. Provence, France

concoction: Grenache, Cinsault, Syra, Tibouren.

visuals: a demure, chic dusty mauve.

sniffings: soft and complex strawberry watermelon and white tea.

palate: a savory afternoon in Santa Cruz with salty, rose taffy. Like strawberries on a picnic.

ruling: gorgeous. vibrant. classy. Audrey in How to Steal a Million.

spendings: a well spent $18

the Superlative Intoxicant: From Verde to Rosé.

Quinta de Aveleda, Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Rosé, Spain

concoction: Azai Tinto, Barraçal, Vinhao

visuals: subtle sparkling bubbles with the hue of salmon sashimi.

sniffings: a bright and buttery, sugar cookie.

palate: completely revitalizing and effervescent, this could easily be mistaken for a bubbly berry cocktail.

ruling: This rosé is popping up everywhere, and for good reason. It's a tasty $9 bottle that would pair impeccably with an array of foodstuffs.

Saucy Dinner Monday

Start

plate of French cheese and olives.

Main

warm port reduction Brussels sprouts sprinkled with fresh Parmesan Reggiano.

chicken and caramelized onion, wild mushroom & white wine sauce.

Vin sur la table

We enjoyed a favored aperitif of De Ponte Cellars tangy rosé, and munched on our starter while whipping up the main plate.

Concho y Toro Amelia 2006 Chardonnay paired fabulously with the white sauce and earthiness of the wild mushrooms. The gorgeous gold wine held marvelous candied pear flavors without being over oaked or flabby. I regard this Chardonnay as if he were an English Lord, come to high tea for a pleasurable afternoon of tea and scones. Top-notch, I'd say.

The Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Villages 2008 (chilled, of course!) added an airy mouthfeel and tingly dry fruitiness to the meal. Beaujolais is extremely light bodied, as it is made from the Gamay Noir grape, whose lineage is intertwined with Pinot Noir. Everyone knows Pinot pairs marvelously with chicken and mushrooms, so why not a Beaujolias, c'est magnifique!

One word encompasses our wine pairings to the light, saucy dinner: sprightly. With refreshing libations, the meal was ideal for a hot summer evening under dim lighting and a ceiling fan.

Evening Pairing

We chose three wines to compliment our

steak entrée, and three cheeses to enjoy while preparing the meal.

Sur la Table:

My current favorite ros

é, 2008

Akakies by Kir Yianni, is unique in its sprightly, dry palate and neon color. The wine is made from the most distinguished varietal of Northern Greece, Xinomavro. Attributes of Xinomavro are quite dissimilar from that of most red wine grapes, and feature captivating vegital notes on a nose nearly devoid of fruit. The grapes earned the name Xinomavro, or "black acid" due to their massive tannic structure and difficulty to tend or master. Contrary to the norm for a ros

é, the

Akakies retains the nose of a red Xinomavro, and we found it paired expertly with steak!

2005 Greenpoint Australian Shiraz' saucy attitude and powerful expressiveness made for an unmitigated steak companion.

The 2001 Chateau ste Michelle Meritage displayed surprising strength for its age. With delectable chocolate and dark fruitiness, the supple tannins ensured the wine would drink fabulously with or without food.

Estate Marauding: Vineyard Tastings.

Take a quick trip down the 99 from Portland and you'll find a storybook land consumed in gorgeous green hillsides. Accessible only by a maze of dirt paths, acres upon acres of carefully tended vines glow in the sunshine. This is pinot country.

Our summer of estate tastings began at Archery Summit, whose wonderfully dry Vireton pinot noir rosé instantly relaxed all senses with a lush yet airy mouthfeel. I found the '07 premier cuvée pleasingly seductive over both the single vineyard and reserve pinot (which one should allow time to reach optimum drinkability) featured in the flight.

I admit I was taken aback by De Ponte Cellars. It's as if French winemaker, Isabelle Dutarte, waved her magic finger to create other worldly, Burgundian style pinot noir which gave rise to De Ponte's premier vintage merely ten years ago. After sampling and discussing with some of the Baldwin relatives, we merrily left with several bottles of unexpectedly affordable wines including luminescent watermelon-esque rosé, and near mythical 2006 pinot noir (which may just pop up on my crave list).

Archery and De Ponte are two top notch wineries, indeed. I anxiously await new vintage releases... in the mean time, further vineyard tastings are sure to inspire and excite!

the Superlative Intoxicant no.6: Punk Style Electric Red.

Kir-Yianni Akakies Rosé 2006 vintage
concoction: a personal new discovery - 100% Xinomavro. Being obsessed with rosé wines, this Grecian bottle lured me from afar. The only Greek AOC rosé, made from a grape I've never heard of, which is apparently delicious.
visuals: vivid fluorescent red.
sniffings: fresh, crisp lemons and strawberry juice atop the air of an ocean-side forest.
palate: an effortlessly lite and acidic, creamy finishishing, seeded, raspberry/strawberry lemonade.

the Common Libation no.2: Grapefruit Wine from the Fruit of Grape.

Charles & Charles Columbia Valley 2009 rosé

concoction: 100% syrah.

visuals: coral, your mother's favorite bath & body works candle.

sniffings: grapefruit.

palate: outstandingly acidic, crisp and effervescent grapefruit which melts into subtle strawberry/vanilla.

ruling: A simple, pleasant wine for a simple day; a sunshine wine if there ever was one.