The Local Vine Cellar

Grace Jones, The Jacksons and Diana Krall! It is none other than our May Wine & Dine Playlist.

Spring Rosés: Understanding The Sparkling Pink Stuff, Bubble by Bubble

We rarely hear anyone talk about drinking rosé without mentioning how they felt or where they were when they drank it. The reported setting is inevitably sunny, the location a typical summer cliché: a beach at sunset, a sidewalk cafe or a patio. While other wines invite more research and analysis, rosé is consumed as part of an entirely emotional experience. Of course, there is no such thing as one type of “rosé” wine. Rosés produced in a wide variety of methods from California, Austria, Hungary, France, South Africa, Italy, Oregon and New Zealand, among others. The styles of rosé also vary, from the light and crisp to the full-bodied and complex, almost approaching the structure of a red. In many circles, rosé is often reminiscent of bad wedding receptions and avoided by men for its pink color. But don’t let those stigmas color your opinion of this delightful staple of the spring and summer.

6 days ago -

1

Still recovering from an evening of good food and exquisite wine hosted for our hard-working lady friends at Crowell & Moring. Among the items on the menu: Gran Sarao Cava paired with lobster, Andrieux & Fils Vacqueyras 2009 paired with Salvadorian-styled minced beef, and our favorite digestif, Cocchi Barolo Chinato paired with artisanal dark chocolate truffles.

Needless to say, they were impressed!

1 week ago -

1

Winemaker Dinner with Quinta do Pinto

Damn, that was fun. Maybe it was the Pinto Estate Collection blend, or the Portuguese blood sausage. Either way, muito obrigado to Jim from Comète Wines, Ricardo and Diana for putting together such a fun event, and most of all to Ana Cardoso Pinto for bringing — all the way from Lisbon — such stunning, well-made wines.

2 weeks ago -

2