It was the best of wine, it was the worst of wine

I may have only read two of Dickens' novels but one was Tale of Two Cities and it is pretty remarkable that the best wines I tried today were the wines of peasants and the people. I just finished tasting seven mediocre if not horrible Chardonnays and seven pretty darn good roses (again, there is an accent over the "e" but I cannot figure it out...sorry). The Chardonnays ranged in price from $10 per bottle to $35...the roses $7 to $12...if our domestic producers want to compete with what is coming from Europe, South America, and other countries they have some serious work today, especially at the value end of the spectrum. The Chardonnays I tried were from the Macon (it was a 2006 and was a closeout but I thought it might be tasty but it was flaccid and had lost its spunk), all the others were from California. Each of the wines was an even more pathetic attempt to make Chardonnay. I know this may read like I have had a bad day our my nose/palate is off but my day has been great and I'm in good form today with my money-makers.

I will now step off my soap box and give you the good news. Around much of the country Spring has sprung and it is time to welcome the fresh roses from around the globe. If you have not plunged into the beautiful pink pool of rose it is time to either cannonball or belly flop in...believe me you will be happy you did. Roses are the epitome of spring and summer and can bring a smile to even the most dour of people. What makes roses so great? They are fun, fruity, bright, refreshing and can almost pair with anything thrown at it. The brightness of fruit mixed with some of the structural components of the skins of red grapes gives roses this sort of hybrid role in the world of wine. Yes you put a chill on them, yes they are great when young (don't ever be afraid to try an older rose, some regions, like Rioja, have roses that are much older when they come to market and are exquisite) and yes they are pink...these wines rock.

Each of the roses I tried today come from an importer known for small production wines primarily from Southern France, Robert Kacher. His selections this year are great and they generally have good distribution. These are wines you will need to go to a specialty store, your normal grocery store most likely will not have these wines...but you never know. Here are my favorites from this "desk tasting".

All wines are from the 2008 vintage

Domaine de Gournier, Vin de Pays des Cevennes (France) $10
A blend of Mourvedre, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot...a bit of a kitchen sink blend. It is on the darker side of roses almost the color of a watermelon Jolly Rancher. The aromas are plump with loads of fresh berries and watermelon. The palate is fruit forward but very well balanced. A steal!

mas Carlot, "Tradition" Costieres de Nimes AOC (France) $10
mas Carlot is an awesome winery, look out for their red too! This vintage the rose is a blend of 60% Grenache and 35% Mourvedre. This wine has sexy aromas...it has fresh cherries, strawberries and a touch of flowers. A bit more structure than the Gournier but still a ton o' fun!

Mas des Bressades "Cuvee Traditions" Costieres de Nimes AOC (France) $12
50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Cinsault (do you think the percentages really matter?). A lovely salmon pink color with hints of dried oranges, sour cherries, red currants and sour plums. This a wine-geeks rose. It has really high acidity and the fruit flavors lean towards tart and sparse versus the Gournier which is a bit more hedonistic. I highly recommend this wine for more complex dishes.

These three were my favorites of the seven. So go grab some rose put it in the fridge and enjoy the porch, stoop or fire escape with a good bottle of rose...skip the Chardonnay.

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