With the heat of the summer just around the corner, there is no better time to drink Pink!!!! I know what you’re thinking… Summer… it’s only February! Well, hello!!!!! One of the many reasons we choose to live in Miami are the very short winters. And, as I have told you before, I drink my wines based on the weather. If the weekend is going to be warm, you better believe I am digging in my cellar (by Thursday morning) for some nice Rosé, pronounced Rose-A, not Rose (like the flower) to chill down.
One of my personal favorites is Jean Luc Colombo (known as JLC for us lazy people) Cape Bleue Rosé. Hold on… Before you even ask, the answer is NO!!! It is NOT sweet and it is NOT like a White Zinfandel. And shame on you for even thinking I would recommend such a wine to you! It’s a Provence style Rosé from Marseille, France. And what exactly does this mean? Well… the wine comes from the South of France and the Rosé’s from this region are floral on the nose, but dry, crisp and refreshing on the palate.
JLC Rosé is made up of 67% Syrah and 33% Mourvedre. And yes, the grapes in this wine are red wine varietals. The way Rosé is made is by using red wine grapes, but only allowing a short amount of skin contact during the wine making process, resulting in only a subtle pink wine. However, the same grapes can be used to make a very dark and powerful red wine, it just depends on how long the juice is in contact with the thick skins of the grapes as to the final color and flavor intensity. When the wine is made in a Rosé style it’s dry, with subtle hints of peaches, rose petals and white flowers on the nose. JLC Rosé is extremely refreshing & crisp on the palate with notes of raspberries, fresh cherries & plump strawberries. Please keep in mind, Rosé’s are best when consumed young. That means you should be looking for a 2010-2011 vintage right now. Anything older and it has probably lost all of it’s bright fruit flavors, and the color is probably more of a dark peach than the beautiful, fresh and vibrant pink we love.
Jean Luc Colombo is acknowledged as one of the most progressive and influential winemakers of his generation. His success and his remarkable ability to craft innovative, memorable wines that burst with personality, earned him the title of “Winemaking Wizard of the Rhone Valley”.
Weekend high’s… upper 70′s? There’s no better time than now to pick up a bottle of Jean Luc Colombo Rosé! Under $10 a bottle and available for purchase at your local wine shop and several Miami restaurants. Drink Pink!
