Oh darlings…Mommy so needs a glass of wine.
Wine bottles are glass, right? Okay, so these are all taken from various memes floating around today, but they seem to be particularly applicable. Between birthdays a week apart, graduation preparation for the teenage daughter who knows everything but does little, tantrums from the 10 year old, and various other family members and acquaintances who have driven me bonkers over the past month or so, it’s time to pull the cork, stick my crazy straw into the opening, and find a little sip of happiness to make my troubles go away…or at least seem lessened.
Today we start with what is being touted as ‘Summer’s Best Friend’…our friend, Rose.
Rose…pink and floral like the garden you picture in those landscaping magazines, which, inevitably, if you’re a normal parent (Dads you’re included in this too), will have a beautiful bloom amongst the crab grass and dandelions when all is said and done. But it’s that one gorgeous bloom that makes it worthwhile. THAT my friends, is what a good Rose wine is…that one little beauty that makes it all worthwhile.
Roses pair well with almost any type of food…chicken, pork, fish, summer greens and pasta salads. If it fits in at a family picnic or bbq, it works with a Rose. The problem is finding one that is more like that precious bloom rather than that stupid dandelion. There are a lot of ‘stinkers’ around…syrupy, sickeningly sweet…or sour…or just awful. Then there are some AMAZING roses…but the price tag is EQUALLY stunning. If you have kids, chances are your money is invested in their college fund rather than your wine stock. So the challenge is to find a great, everyday value wine…good flavor; good savings. And that brings us to Apothic’s Limited Release Rose.
Apothic is a value wine you can usually find in any grocery or liquor store for around $10-15. I’ll be honest…I’m not a fan of their white blend (just not my style), but I was incredibly impressed with their red blend (http://youtu.be/CSeNoVLmGpU) which presented itself with a lot of complexity for a $10 bottle of wine. I figure I was batting .500 with their selection, so the Rose was worth a shot.
Their rose blend consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel grapes, so the color is a little more of a darker pink than what I expected to see. Very pretty in the glass. Not much on the nose: smelled like light strawberries and roses…but not a very heavy perfume. Personally, I’m more interested in the taste right now. So let’s get to the sipping, shall we?
At first, I wasn’t certain I really cared for this wine, but with each sip, it’s growing on me more and more. It’s full blown strawberries and watermelon…almost Jolly Rancher Watermelon candy flavor on the finish…but not overly sweet. It’s like fruit and candy, but not with that horrible sugar bomb “decay your teeth” taste. This is actually refreshing. It really WOULD be perfect with pulled pork or grilled chicken. Or, it’d just be perfect to chill several bottles and sip it on the back deck all night long.
It’s a little pricier than the white or red blend, as this one runs right around $15, but it’s definitely what I would consider an everyday keeper. No, it’s not a wine that’s going to make you gush with wild wine reviews and ratings like a Rose from Provence (Southeastern France- known for it’s Rose wine…just trust me on this one), but that’s not what it’s meant to do. Apothic Rose is meant to just be opened up and sipped for any occasion…even if it’s just as a ‘time out’ from your kids.
Put it on the ‘picnic’ list and enjoy it while it lasts…it’s only around for a limited time…kind of like your kids. Appreciate it while you can.
Cheers!
~CC
Corked Cowgirl 