Summer arrived in the northern hemisphere just after midnight Wednesday, and I can tell you it’s hot around here. This has implications for my wine choices, and I expect it does for you, too. For one thing, I’m drinking a lot more rosé wine.
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Clear, bright salmon pink, a very pretty blend of Grenache Noir (40%), Mourvèdre (40%), and Syrah (20%). Strawberries and raspberries and fresh green herbs on the nose; red berries and a whiff of watermelon on the palate, nicely balanced by crisp, fresh acidity. It’s nearly dry, with 13% alcohol and a touch of fresh-fruit sweetness that could be a hint of sugar or just fresh, ripe fruit.
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Check prices and find vendors for Le Cirque Côtes Cata;lanes Rosé on Wine-Searcher.com.
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This is a clear, straw-color wine with glints of gold. Its ripe aromas center on musky melons, honeydew and ripe cantaloupe, a hint of juicy peach and a touch of tangerine. These mixed-fruit aromas carry over in a palate impression that’s medium-bodied, quite dry, and shaped by zippy fresh-fruit acidity that lingers into a very long finish. It carries its 14 percent alcohol well.
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Find vendors and check prices for Mulderbosch Western Cape Chenin Blanc on Wine-Searcher.com. Read article.
During his recent trip to the Anteprima Amarone trade event in Verona, Neil tasted many many Amarone wines. In this final article of his Amarone series, he reports on wines from 8 other wineries he visited. Read article.
Pulling the cork from a wine bottle the other day, I suddenly realized with surprise that I was actually pulling a cork.
A real cork, that is. In that “Eureka” moment, I suddenly realized that it had been a long time since I encountered a whole, natural cork, as opposed to a metal screw cap, synthetic (plastic) stopper, or “technical” cork made of reassembled cork granules treated to deter “cork taint.”
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Dark reddish-purple, almost black at the core, with bright ruby glints against the light. Delicious scents of black plums, blackberries and raspberries add just a subtle hint of warm spice in the aroma. Ripe, juicy plums dominate an appetizing flavor shaped by food-friendly acidity and a significant edge of soft but perceptible tannins, with a bit of heat showing from its 14.5% alcohol. Mixed berries and a fresh, citric snap linger in a very long finish. A blend of 50% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 13% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignan, 8% Grenache, and 6% Tannat.
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Check prices and find vendors for Spice Route “Chakalaka” Western Cape red on Wine-Searcher.com. Read article.
Did you notice? Yesterday was National Wine Day! Suddenly, just like that, my news feed started filling up with exhortations to get out and drink wine. … But wait! Doesn’t every day have potential to be a wine day? Let’s open a bottle tonight!
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Clear, pretty rosy pink that shows a hint of orange against the light. Its delicate but delicious scent offers light strawberries at first, then opens up to add hints of red cherry and juicy peach as the wine warms in the glass. These appetizing mixed fruit flavors carry over on the palate in a crisp, tart and dry flavor, with just a touch of prickly petillance on the tongue. Subtle strawberries and a tangy edge of citrus linger in a very long finish, and light 12.5% alcohol invites another glass.
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Locate vendors and compare prices for Mulderbosch Coastal Region Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé on Wine-Searcher.com. Read article.
Neil Duarte tours many wineries, but few have impressed him more than the Amarone winery Azienda Albino Armani, utilizing the latest technology yet built into the side a hill to blend in environmentally with its surroundings. He rates a number of the winery’s offerings. Read article.
There are a lot of reasons for the world to be glad that Emmanuel Macron trounced Marine Le Pen in France’s presidential election last weekend. And Macron’s win appears to be good news for wine lovers, too.
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