wine | My Simplified Life

Wine Wednesday: A Rose By Any Other Name

It seems Rosés are all the rage right now when it comes to wines. I’ve been wanting to try some out but of course haven’t had a chance the last 9 months! At our Easter celebration, someone brought a bottle of Sofia Rosé which is one of the many fine bottles made by Francis Ford Coppola Winery. I jumped at the chance to have a glass and I’m so glad I did!

Chilled to perfection, this Rosé is light, crisp, smooth wine absolutely refreshing. This lovely concoction is 65% pinot noir and 35% syrah and made in Monterey County.

From the winemaker, “Feminine and stylish, with a fragrant perfume of fresh strawberries and lavendar, this rosé explodes with ripe, juicy flavors of cherry, raspberry and citrus zest.”

Another great part about this wine is that although it retails for $19, as a wine club member you can get it for $14.25 but Costco sells it for even less…$10.99! It’s a steal at this price. I plan on stocking up on my next trip to Costco this week and I recommend you do the same! One more thing…if you haven’t tried Sofia Mini, champagne in a can, then you must! It’s fun and delicious!

Wine Wednesday: JUSTIN Cabernet Sauvignon

It’s Wednesday, so that means wine! I first tried JUSTIN Cabernet Sauvignon at a restaurant a couple of years ago. I loved it instantly but thought it was a bit pricey, after all it was a restaurant price. Lucky me, I found that Costco sells it and for only $20.99/bottle! Yes, I would say that’s on the more expensive side, but it makes for a great hostess gift, gift to your doctor to say thanks for taking care of me and my baby, or a celebration bottle.

This cab is very smooth and the hints of a ripe cherry and coffee are apparent and a perfect combination. The wine maker suggests pairing this wine with pasta or grilled hamburgers when at home. We just happened to be enjoying grilled burgers this evening so it was definitely the perfect combination!

Tasting notes from the vintner include:

“AROMA: An attractive mix of red and black cherry with blackcurrant, cinnamon, cocoa, cedar and purple flowers.

PALATE: Medium body, with a complex mix of red and black fruit of cherries and currants, with cinnamon, cocoa, and a hint of violet in the background. The finish is long and crisp, with cherry, mineral and floral components balanced by soft tannins.”

La Crema Pinot Noir Arroyo Seco

In June I visited La Crema in Healdsburg and joined their wine club…2 weeks later I got pregnant. I’ve been receiving shipments of their wine but haven’t gotten to drink any of it…until now! The first bottle I opened was the 2012 Pinot Noir from Arroyo Seco. I have to say that it went down very easily.

Rich in color and with a bold yet not overpowering flavor, it definitely was a palate pleaser. The winemaker’s notes state, “The nose is rich with dark spice, earthy notes, coffee bean and blackberry. Layers of dark plum, wet stone, cedar. An elegant Pinot Noir with all the hallmarks of the Arroyo Seco appellation.” I felt that between the blackberry and plum flavors, there was a hint of cherry. It was slightly tart but not in a make your mouth pucker sort of way. It was very smooth and enjoyable.

Through La Crema’s site, this bottle retails for $40, $32 as a wine club member, and as low as $29 on webwine.com.

We celebrated one of our first happy hours as new parents in our sunroom. My husband roasted garlic and we indulged in some Brie and crackers…he’s definitely a keeper!

For the roasted garlic, simply cut the top off the heads of the garlic, pour olive oil over it in aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 45 minutes.