Tag: citrus

A Rosé By Any Other Name…

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Charles&CharlesRoseUpClose


Charles & Charles is a label that stands out and may resonate with you, if you’ve seen it.

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It was only a matter of time, and there’s no time like now, but their 2016 Rosé is everything that you want in the Summer, or any climate that suits you for that matter.

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For my final post of August (how sad does that sound) 2017, it had to be a Rosé, and if this one was a letdown I would be honest about it.  However, this is one of the better wines of its kind that you’re going to find.  Oh cool that rhymed…

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What will stand out is the American Flags that adorn their labels.  That’s always going to bring you in, and that’s before you’ve even had a sip.  The patterns and colors will just hit you, and it’s hit me, even in a sea of hundreds of bottles in any aisle of your local wine supplier, their wines I’ve thought about, and I’ve never had one.  Until last week.

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I will always be grateful and fortunate to have friends that simply say, stop by or invite me over to say hello.  It’s informal, organic, spontaneous, and usually leads to the best of conversations.

The light pink, almost pale like color is another detail that can’t go unnoticed.

I’ve read multiple reviews of this wine, and seen so many different details and those notes you always heard about, expounded upon.

One term I’ve often not used, if ever, because I like to keep it simple, is acidity.

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Acidity is what gives the wine its sour kind of taste, even in those sweeter wines.  This wine, with all its citrus and fruit flavors, has the perfect amount of acidity that counterbalances the slight sweetness of Charles and Charles’ gem of a wine.

Taking out any other technical details, this is jut an enjoyable wine.  And my friend and I enjoyed this rather swiftly.   Like most wines, I believe they all should be savored.  But sometimes, and maybe more than sometimes, you’re on a roll.  You’re enjoying the conversation, the setting, the weather, and all the other details of the universe that can’t be put into text, that the wine feels like its going down rather quickly, and all of a sudden its gone.

Sometimes it’s like that.  Time is a relative thing.  When life is good, it feels like time stands still.  It also moves literally at the speed of light, or speed of a great Rose.

I would say this bottle was split in about an hour so, but does the time frame really matter?   No food was paired with it, but you don’t need any.  But at the same time a wine like this is so adaptive and versatile, that it can be paired with all kinds of finger foods and dishes. What you choose is up to you, and that’s all that matters.  If it makes you happy, that’s all that matters.

This wine, not just this Rosé makes me happy, and like any awesome bottle, it will be one that will carry a good memory with me to last a lifetime.  I’m glad this is how I had my first wine from Charles & Charles, and I know this won’t be the last.

At a price range from $11-$15, it’s worth more than just the dollar amount.  It’s beautiful. And I’ve seen their labels at many a shoppe, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one near you.

I would also like to thank my friend for a few of the up-close photos that are displayed prominently throughout this post.  I’m grateful.

For more on the wines of Charles & Charles‘ click here.   More about them in video form (which is awesome by the way), a link to purchase their wines online, and their contact info.

Here’s my Rosé history lesson.

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Here’s to Summer.   I hope to keep it going.

Thanks so much.

Ideen

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And We’ll Be Birds

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LeReveurRoseSushi6

I’m not ready to throw in the towel or wave the white flag on this season.  And even the though the towel might be white too, there’s no cause for alarm or concern.   I love summer and want to celebrate forever.  That means one more Rosé, and hopefully more to come.   When I’m in the planning stages or lack thereof when piecing these posts together, I look at the seasons, the place I’m in, and my log of wines I’ve tried to see what fits and what I can save for later, if at all.

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But a return to the Wine Source, which will never get old, led to some curious searching. And I won’t confirm nor deny that this was a planned trip.  Nothing just happens and there’s no such thing as coincidence.   After my memorable visit two weeks ago, how would this one compare?

There doesn’t need to be a comparison.  While every experience is different they’re also somewhat similar, and sometimes all the same?  Make sense?  Well it does and then it doesn’t to me, but that’s what makes this excursion so fun and unpredictable.

The night in question from last week had me running around circles.  I was craving a Rosé but not just any.  I wanted a label and a bottle that would evoke emotions of hope, love, spirit, and a journey  that is forever going.  One that tells us that not only are we going to be ok, but that we are ok.

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I shoul’ve realized they were reading my mind and knew why I was there.  Without even knowing me they know my tastes and know their clientele.  I had no idea I sprinted past the lovely Rosé in front of the store.  I had just assumed walked around and dig to find a bottle within every nook and cranny of the shoppe.   How did I not see this gorgeous display of Rosé wine in front of the store for me to appreciate, admire. and adore some more.  And I was doing all of the three and that much more.

Now I was literally doing circles.  There were so many beautiful choices that the only one that made sense is one with designs of our animal friends.

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So I saw one with a bird and didn’t think twice.   The 2016 Guillaume Gonnet Cotes du Rhone ‘Le Reveur’ Rose, from Rhone, France had the most inviting label and energy.  Yes a gorgeous looking robin on the label helps.  But never judge a book by its something and same with a label.   For all  you know it covers the deficiencies of the wine itself, and overcompensating by having such beautiful artwork.  I sound like such a novice but that’s the fun part.

No this is not the best wine you or I will ever have. It’s not even in the conversation, but what this one does is provide you with aspects with what make summer, wine drinking, and life in general so beautiful.  It’s listed anywhere from $10-$13.  I got mine for $11 (sale price from $13) and didn’t think twice about the price.

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It’s (depending on where you read) got notes and hints of grapefruit, apple, melon, and various citrus flavors.  It may be what you smell, it may be what you taste, but what it does do for sure is add to an everyday wine that can be had with friends, in solitude, and with all types of food that make you happy.

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For me, I was in the mood for sushi.  And I found the pairing to work in syncopation with the other.  Now I mainly got rolls, but a couple pieces of sushi were necessary.  And what a match made in pairing heaven.  Not only did the colors mesh well but the wine itself went done smoothly with such hearty and filling rolls.

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I enjoyed plenty of sips without food and found it enjoyable either way.

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Like I said, this will not be the best wine you or I will ever have, but not all of them should be.  If we kept saying everything was amazing or the best, actual wines that fit that old (to us) would lose its appeal. This is a good everyday wine and I’m going to assume this is all that it was ever meant to be.

But having our animal friends on a bottle always helps.

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For more on this wine, perhaps a message to the importers, Misa Imports, may be of assistance.  Otherwise this is a wine I’ve seen sparingly in stores, one of course is the Wine Source in the great neighborhood of Hampden, in Baltimore.   If you don’t live in the area, hopefully this link may be of assistance.

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Whatever Rosé you’ve been indulging in this summer (and before and beyond), I sincerely hope it’s been enjoyable, not only for you but with all the awesome people that you’ve been sharing it with.  That’s what this is all about.  I look forward to enjoying and sharing so many more of my stories with you guys.

Thanks so much.

Ideen