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Earlier this week I participated in  Pink Out,  a rosé tasting that I did virtually through TasteLive! Pink Out is put on by RAP Rosé Avengers and Producers, and while I participated from home, RAP had a fabulous event in San Francisco to celebrate what they have declared International Rosé Celebration Day.

Since rosé season is officially kicked off, I thought I would share a few favorites in varying styles and at different price points.

Travessia Bastard Rosé I have mentioned this in past posts, but this is my favorite of all pink wines. Made right here in Massachusetts, this wine is made in small production and is a stunner for a steal, only $14. It can only be purchased at the New Bedford winery, and I would definitely suggest you grab a bottle or two if you can.

Travessia rose

Passaggio Cabernet Rosé I had the pleasure of trying this wine, from the maker of award-winning un-oaked Chardonnay, before it was even officially bottled. It is beautiful, from its color to its juicy, refreshing fruit flavors and subtle floral notes. The winemaker is a great person and passionate about her wine, and it shows in the glass! You won’t see this in stores, but it can be purchased online.

Passaggio

 

Pares Balta Ros de Pacs – Introduced to me by my fave wine store, The Urban Grape, at their opening nearly a year ago, this has become one of my favorite rosés. It is quite hearty for a pink wine with a light sweetness, balanced by acidity that makes it refreshing and great with food. Paella, anyone?

pares balta ros de pacs

 

One of the wines we tried for Pink Out was Robert Oatley Rosé of Sangiovese Mudgee, a sweet deal, but not a sweet wine, from down under. While I don’t usually fall for a label, I have to admit to finding this one mesmerizing. You would have no idea the wine inside is $16! This wine is bright and dry, I would call it the perfect BBQ wine or boat wine. Winking smile

Robert Oatley rose of sangiovese image

 

Cheateau D’Esclans Garrus Another of the Pink Out wines, this Rhone blend has been heralded the greatest rosé in the world. It’s ballet-slipper pink color is lovely, and the wine lush, and decadent. At $80 a bottle, it is a splurge indeed, but it would make a great gift for a wine-loving graduate or for another special occasion.

Chateau D'Esclans Garrus Chateau D'Esclans Garrus

And finally, if you like your pink wine to sparkle, and why wouldn’t you, Mumm Brut Rosé brings tiny, festive bubbles, a yeasty nose, and a creamy mouth feel, with loads of fruit flavors, as well as a bit of that toasty brioche taste I love. A celebration in a bottle!

Mumm Napa

I hope that these suggestions are helpful! I am compiling a list of summer whites I love too; even if you aren’t a wine fan, keep these suggestions handy next time you are shopping for a party.

I say we are long overdue for some gorgeous weather for sipping our favorite bevvies outside. My evenings on the deck soundtrack last summer included Jack Johnson, James Taylor & Carole King, and others, and my most recent favorite Pandora station, Simon & Garfunkel, is killer for relaxing evenings. What can I say, I like the music my parents listened to when I was growing up!

What music is part of your perfect summer soundtrack?

Tags: rose, rose wine, wine

When it comes to food, Dorchester has it going on. While we may not have the restaurants per square mile that downtown Boston or Cambridge boast, we have some really great, genuine foodie paradises with chefs passionate about local food and drink and the tight-knit community.

As I mentioned in my last post, we giddily completed the paperwork for the purchase of our first boat on Saturday, and to celebrate we decided to head back to Dorchester for brunch at Savin Bar and Kitchen. While we had eaten dinner there on its opening night, this was our first brunch, and now I can easily say that two my of favorite places to brunch in Boston are in Dorchester. My other favorite brunch is dbar, hands down.

Champagne Brunch

Savin Bar and Kitchen is bright and airy, with all of the windows on one side open to the street. Unfortunately, it wasn’t full at all when we arrived; maybe people have missed the memo on how good it is?

There were a bunch of brunch options that looked drool-worthy, and we finally decided, as we often do at brunch, to share something sweet and something salty.

huevos rancheros burrito

For him, the huevos rancheros burrito with avocado and home fries, and for me stuffed French toast. The French toast comes with a cream cheese filling, and you have your choice of add-ins. I opted for raspberries, but chocolate chips, blueberries, and strawberries were also available.

french toast

The French toast came stacked high in a pool of warm maple syrup, with a side of cinnamon honey butter for spreading.

french toast

Divine. In case you were wondering, Champagne and French toast are excellent friends and make for a luxurious, leisurely brunch.

What would you put in your stuffed French toast?

The prices at Savin Bar and Kitchen are incredibly reasonable, they have lots of great beers, wines, and cocktails, and the service is the friendly and welcoming kind you expect from a neighborhood restaurant.

I am looking forward to many weekend open-air brunches at Savin Bar and Kitchen this summer!

Savin Bar and Kitchen on Urbanspoon

Savin Bar and Kitchen on Urbanspoon

Tags: Boston, brunch, champagne

Some nights just sparkle with great conversation, delicious food, fine wine, and new friends. Red White Boston’s Women Winemakers dinner at Sandrine’s Bistro on Tuesday night was just one of those evenings.

Sandrine's Bistro

Sandrine’s is a small, elegant restaurant tucked away on Holyoke Street in Harvard Square. I have heard of it before, but I had never actually seen it. It is definitely worth finding.

Sandrine's Bistro

The entire event was built around the theme Women in Wine, Putting the “I” in Team: Inspiring Individuals for Team Success. The special winemaker guests for the evening were Maureen Martin from Clos du Bois and Janet Myers from Franciscan Estate.

Sandrine's Bistro

Sandrine’s was abuzz with great energy, a few local bloggers, Elina, Amanda, Jason, and Justin, and lots of great California wine starting with 2008 Franciscan Sauvignon Blanc. Served with passed flammekeuche, Alsatian pizza, the Sauvignon Blanc was my favorite white wine of the evening.

Sandrine's Bistro

The cocktail reception led into the dinner and speaking portion of the event. We had the great pleasure of sharing a table with Maureen Martin, winemaker from Clos du Bois.

Sandrine's Bistro

Dinner started with Spring Pea Veloute with smoked mussels, paired with Clos du Bois Calcaire Vineyard Chardonnay and Franciscan Cuvee Sauvage Chardonnay, both 2007.

white wine

For me, the Clos du Bois Chardonnay was the perfect balance for the smoky mussels and sweet peas in the soup. It was light, crisp, and elegant, lacking the oaky flavors that I try to avoid in Chardonnay. I enjoyed the Franciscan Chardonnay as well but found it to be more buttery and creamy.

spring pea veloute

Our second course was grilled beef with baby spinach and mushroom ragout and a black pepper Cabernet reduction. While I don’t often eat beef, I had a few bites of the tender meat dipped in the sumptuous sauce. The earthy flavors in the dish went well with both wine pairings, Franciscan 2006 Magnifcat and Mt. Veeder 2006 Reserve Red. 

beef

The third course was a light and refreshing salad. Salad after the entrée just makes perfect sense for cleansing the palate and adding a light freshness before the sweetness of dessert. The salad course also brought my favorite wine of the evening, Clos du Bois 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir. There are wines that I breathe in, and immediately I smell Sonoma. This was one. The aromas coming from the glass were heavenly, lots of dark fruit. The wine was silky smooth with a nice level of acidity, and there were those gorgeous dark fruit flavors again, black cherries, plum. Yum.

pear and gorgonzola salad

wine

The final course of the evening was dessert, lavender crème brulee. Once I tapped open it’s crispy burnt-sugar crust, the smell of lavender greeted me. Paired with the sweet creaminess of the crème brulee, the lavender was subtle and lovely, one of my most recent favorite flavors in drinks and dessert.

lavender creme brulee

Throughout the course of dinner, Janet Myers and Maureen Martin shared with the crowd how they put the “I” in team, that is engaging each employee at each stage of the process of getting their beautiful wines in the bottle and at our dinner tables. They talked about making sure each person had a significant role and felt empowered, that his or her contribution affects the rest of the team and the final product. To help bring home that point, Clos du Bois is engaging its employees in a Cinco de Mayo scavenger hunt which will have employees going through various parts of the winery and needing to depend on one another’s individual expertise to get through each stage.

In addition to the official topic of the evening, sitting with Maureen Martin gave us the great benefit for learning a bit more about her and the winery. It was quite exciting for Sonoma wine lovers like me.

I always enjoy Red White Boston events (and I mean that, even if I do help promote them!). At every event, I meet at least a few new, interesting people whose path I may never have crossed otherwise. The app does a great job of connecting people with wine, but the greatest success has been connecting people with people, over wine. Smile 

The next tasting crew event is May 16 at WGBH, join me there!

 

Sandrine's Bistro on Urbanspoon

Tags: Boston, Clos du Bois, events, Franciscan Estates, Red White Boston, Restaurants, Sandrine's Bistro, wine

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