Grapes: Blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & reserve wines
Region: Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan
Vintage: N/V
M. Lawrence Sex
The arousingly descriptive term “Pink sparkler” conjures up several images: a Pride Parade novelty item, a Georgia O’Keefe inspired [spread?], or perhaps the pyrotechnics found at a Celine Dion show. However, I’m talking about a dry brut Rosé outta Michigan, cleverly named “Sex”.
I’ve never bought into the whole Valentine’s Day myth, but don’t let my semi-cynical ideologies keep you from your fun. Ever. In spite of my annoyance, I’ve declared Sex the official wine of Valentine’s Day, 2013! It’s pink (duh), it’s tantalizing, it’s tart & fruity fun and it hails from right here in the Midwest. Need I say more?
Whether you’re hoping to get lucky or want to drown your single sorrows, the titillating Sex will “love you long time”, so to speak (if only for 750 ml. worth).
Get this: a white wine made of 100% Sangiovese grapes. It’s truly unlike any other wine I’ve ever had -in all the best ways- a white wine in a red wine’s body.
What? Did I just blow your mind?
I found out about Fattoria Colmone della Marca due to their familial connection with Famiglia Meschini, whom I’ve sung their praises in past reviews. It just so happens Eugenio Meschini’s cousin, Giovanni, who resides in Italy, not only makes great wine, but also helps run a five star restaurant, Ristorante A Piero! One, a wine maker in Argentina, the other a wine maker/gourmet restauranteur in Italy! Can I marry into this family, already?
One gorgeous Summer evening I had the pleasure of meeting Giovanni whilst tasting his wines. We chatted about food and wine in a mixture of his Italian and broken English and my English and broken Italian. “I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night and still have asked for more.”- the in/famous song from My Fair Lady swam in my head.
Amanda, Giovanni & me
I enjoyed all his wines, but this, this was special- I needed to write about it toot sweet.
So we all know grape juice is clear. (Well, if “we” don’t, now you do.) It’s only the contact of the juice with skins of red, purple and black grapes that give red and rose wines their hue. For this wine, the juice is extracted from Sangiovese grapes, hardly exposed to the skins, resulting in a clear white wine culled from a red grape.
FC’s Bianco del Moro has floral and apple notes. It’s acidic and fresh but has a smoother and creamier body than you’d expect. This is a great year-round white wine. In the Summer, it will taste great with grilled fish, seafood, chicken and green or pasta salads. In the Winter, it tastes amazing with a mixed green salad of romaine, arugula, herbs and gorgonzola cheese. In fact, I’m not sure what happened in my mouth, but I swear the combination of gorgonzola cheese and this wine tasted a bit like red sauce [aka my people’s gravy]. I know you probably think I’m stretching here. Truly, I couldn’t stop eating bite after bite of gorgonzolistic salad washing each morsel down with a sip of this wine. Repeatedly. Over and over. Could…not…stop.
This wine is so very fun, delicious and versatile. You must try it. While it may confuse at first, it will please white and red wine drinkers alike. Yes, this white in a red’s body- akin to a wolf in sheep’s clothing, or perhaps a transgender wine. [Can you really say “transgender” wine? I guess I just did!] Enjoy this:
I’m such a bonehead for not yet writing about the wines I’ve enjoyed from Hedges Family Estate! This C.M.S. is now the third varietal I’ve savored, and I have NO excuse for not sharing the first two with y’all. I’m a complete fan and trust any wine they produce. Let me tell you why you should, too.
Hedges Family Estate, out of Washington State, is run by Washington born and raised Tom Hedges, and his French wife, Anne Marie. They both cut their teeth working for large vinyards in the 70s. In the 80s, they created their own wine exporting company and their own {tip Merchants who purchase grapes, juice or bulk wine from small farmers, which they then produce, bottle and market on a larger scale under the négociant’s label.}négociant{/tip} called Hedges Cellars. An opportunity arose 3 hours East of Seattle in an up and coming wine region called Red Mountain. Volia! From the get-go, the Hedges Family Estate began making wine in a biodynamic way, very much working symbiotically with the terroir. While this may sound trendy or cliche these days, it was not the norm 25-30 years ago.
The marriage of American and French styles really emerges through their wine: New World but in an Old World way. Let’s chat about this C.M.S. which stands for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah (though I like to think it’s something like “Coat My Stomach”, “Crush Me, Studmuffin”, or “Caress My Slippery-stuffs”). The blend is nothing less than superlative.
Deep ruby juice fills your glass and aromas of black cherry, raspberry and toasty cocoa waft up your nose. It drinks like a New World wine, fruit forward with hints of toasted vanilla and chocolate. An “any occasion” wine, it’s medium bodied and pleasingly smooth with balanced tannins and acidity. Not too sweet, not too dry, with a decent little finish on it. I served it to guests and everyone liked it the best of all the wines we tried that evening. I’ve also been impressed by their Bacchus Merlot and their unoaked HIP Chardonnay (drinks more like a French Chablis, my fave American unoaked Chard to date!). You easily can spot their wines by their fetching labels featuring uniquely modern, yet baroque fonts.
Open this bottle day or night, weeknight or weekend. Sit back and enjoy a beautifully balanced estate made glass of wine. You’ll be impressed. I know I found a new staple- especially for the price!
Wine for Slobs, Snobs & Swells | The Savvy Lush welcomes the Twin Cities' Sippers & Swillers
