It’s Wednesday and you are already thinking about your weekend plans and perhaps which wines to purchase. On most Wednesdays, I post two recommendations for your weekend wine choices. My occasional “Wine and Dine” articles suggest a recipe with wine pairings, but others (like this!) offer choices under $20 – one white and one red. On Friday evening, May 10, I attended Bottlenotes’ Around the World in 80 Sips wine tasting event at the stunning Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Many delicious wines from a variety of countries and with affordable prices were offered. I’ll be profiling a few of my favorites in this third in a series of four weekly articles. Where are the wines from this week? Travel to the French wine regions of Bordeaux and Provence!
**Chateau Fage Graves de Vayres Blanc 2011 – If you haven’t had a traditional white Bordeaux, this may be your choice. A blend of 80% Semillon, 10% Sauvignon Blanc, and 10% Muscadelle created a wine with aromas of melon, stone fruit, and citrus and tastes of much more of the same with minerality and high acidity. Food friendly, you can find this wine for around $11.00.
**Chateau d’Esclans Whispering Angel Rose 2012 – I loved this rose and the name says it all!! Pale pink in the glass, the wine had aromas which were fruity, crisp, and fresh and tastes included dried cherry, spice, and some light cream. This delightful wine was dry and smooth…did I even detect some sage at the finish?? Grapes used in the blend were Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvedre – so many of my favorites! The cost is $20.00 and you can pair this lovely angel with anything!
I’ll suggest more affordable wines from Around the World in 80 Sips next Wednesday!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
