There’s nothing sexier than drinking in a casino hotel room.
Let me introduce you to Anakena Sauvignon Blanc. If you are a grapefruit fan, this is your Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a flaxen yellow wine that is light, crisp, and a righteous deal at only $6.99! This is dictionary definition weeknight patio wine, but is also a swell antidote for sweltering Saturday nights.
I was sans patio, but as you can see from the photo, I enjoyed it sitting in a hotel room that “reminisced” of a smoking room (read: stale ex-smoking = inside stank). Maybe it was because I had spent 16 hours outside in the menacing sun and dusty winds of Grand Casino Hinckley [another glamorous episode for my day job] , but this wine went down fast and easy. My co-worker and I sucked the bottle down with authority (and some Stacy’s pita chips), bringing a tired smile to both our faces as we picked at the annoying dirt caked in various body crevices. We found our nirvana, if only for a moment.
We awoke at 4am the next day to get up and do it all over again. I cannot help but think that the Anakena made it just a bit more bearable.
Yep, you’ve probably all been waiting with bated breath for the next Red wine of the week (or, perhaps semi-bated breath?). My day job responsibilities prohibited me from sticking to task, once again. And what’s this? Another Rosé? Oh, just shut up and trust me.
I was introduced to this Rosé at Solo Vino’s Rosé Tasting a couple week’s back. After reviewing my notes, this one was starred by both myself and my husband. Say “hello” to Hendry Rosé from Napa Valley.
Admittedly, I am not as familiar with Napa as I am Sonoma Valley, but this wine embodies all the things I love. First, it hails from a family owned farm (since 1939!). Second, they solely use their own estate grapes to produce wines. They make wine in small batches and that can only lead to quality. This 2011 Rosé marks their 20th vintage!
This wine is created using saignée (Sahn-yay), which means bleeding in French. The saignée method is when the juice is allowed to macerate (soften in liquid) the skins, which is done to extract a certain color. When the wine turns the desired hue (pink, salmon, cranberry, puce, etc.), the tank is then opened to let the wine “bleed off” into another tank to be fermented and made into Rosé. The remaining wine stays in the tank to macerate longer to give the wine a deeper red color, and later is fermented to become a “standard” red wine. Such elaborate technique to refine nature into your bottle of wine! It’s all quite blinding, this science.
This wine is made with the following grapes: Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Primitivo. If you are fans of any (or all), this is your Rosé. If you are STILL hesitant to try pink wine (I’m looking at my “manly” friends), this is one to start with. It’s totally pink and fruity, but man up. Hell, drink it from a giant ceramic stein, your leather flask, or a hollowed out animal horn if you must- I won’t tell!
Yeah, I know I keep saying Rosé embodies smells and tastes of strawberry, spice and everything nice. But if I could reach out of your screen and give you a glass of this right now, I would. (Don’t you sometimes wish you lived in the classic video for Aha’s “Take on Me”? No?!? Oh, right, me either.) This wine is dry, balanced with a little citrus and a little herb and goes with _everything_. I’ve had it several times now and I can’t find one thing this wine clashes with.
This is such a pleasing, Summery, drink-on-your-patio-until-you-get-perma-grin kinda wine, I can’t stand it. I even ran back to Solo Vino to buy more because it’s made in such a small batch. Folks, there are only a couple cases left and then, bye-bye 2011 Hendry Rosé. I guess that means every Rosé truly has it’s… Well, you know.
Since we are in the midst of Rose season, I must bring you another Rose that is both moderately priced and tastes amazing. Introducing the Domaine de Figueiresse Gris de Gris. It’s predominantly Grenache [Granache peeps holla!] and part Cinsault, a red wine grape whose main purpose is for blending with other grapes. Cinsault [sin SO] is often blended with Grenache to give it a soft, fruity taste that’s also pleasantly aromatic. This wine is yummy and at around $10, it’s real yummy.
I was introduced to this Rosé at a tasting hosted by The Wine Company. There were so many Rosés that I was FORCED to narrow my choices. A good problem to have, but after a while, my pallet was on overload. I’m not ashamed to say that after 9 or 10 Rosé samples, I have a difficult time discerning one that is akin to “ripe strawberry” from one that is simply “strawberry-like”. I could be explaining one of a thousand different Rosés. I don’t want my head to hurt by _thinking_ about wine, dammit!
What I do know is if you are [still] hesitant to creep over to the pink side, this is one for you to test the waters. It is bright, full of fresh strawberry flavor; also, it’s dry, yet quenches that Summer thirst. Again, pink wine is NOT, I repeat NOT the White Zin from the 80s! It’s delicious and super drinkable alone, or even better, it pairs with just about everything.
Wine for Slobs, Snobs & Swells | The Savvy Lush welcomes the Twin Cities' Sippers & Swillers
