I spent the first half of this month recovering from the holidays.  Alcohol didn’t interest me in the least.  I was/am working out daily.  I was eating healthy and I even juiced a day or two.

But, you know, that gets really old fast.  And this girl likes to have fun.

I’m still working out at least 4 times a week.  I’m still on track to be in great shape by the time I hit the big 30.  But – man – I just really love a glass of wine every now and then.  You know, with dinner.  Or after work.  Or while making pies…

I really like wine.

After I caved on my no wine January plans, WordPress sent me my “Year in Review” for 2013.  I realized that more than half of my top ten posts of ALL TIME were my series on Affordable Wines or tips for tending bar.

You all like to drink, too!

So, I’ve been thinking a lot about what direction to take this blog in, since right now I feel like it’s going in just about any direction I want it to that day, and it seemed obvious.  Believe me, this is a going to be a good thing for me and my drinking habits as well as for you and yours…

More Affordable Wine Reviews!

Yay!!

So here is how it works.  I choose a wine under $15 (preferably under $10).  No Two buck Chuck.  No Beringer.  No crap.  I drink it.  I dig up a little research on the juice, and then I share it with you.

You read my review, save it to your phone however you’d like, and head out to the closest wine store that sells cheap – ahem, inexpensive – wine.  Then, you can either go home and pour yourself a glass – savoring every sip even more because you still have cash in your wallet – or you bring said bottle to impress your wino friend who’s having you over for dinner.

You look awesome.  You drink delicious wine.  You still have cash in your pocket for In N Out later if your friend isn’t such a great cook.

We are all winning here.

So let’s get started!  The first wine back seems like a strange one for the middle of January, but bear with me.  January is not typically Rosé weather.  It is usually big, spicy Zins or an earthy, tart Chianti weather.

But it’s been in the 80s in Los Angeles.  It feels like summer.  People are at the beach. (Not me)  People are tan. (Definitely not me) I am sweating. I am hot.  I want to eat seafood.  I want to drink Rosé.

And since the Rosé selection is limited this time of year, I tried one I found that looked reasonable at the Pavilions down the road.  Here is where it comes from:

Nice digs.  I would like to introduce, the Chateau de Campuget 2012 Rosé.

First of all, let me tell you about rosé.  No, this is not white zinfandel.  Rosé (or rosato, rosado, blush) just refers to the color of the wine.  They can be made in dry or sweet styles, but most European rosés are dry.

There are two main ways of creating a rosé wine.  Usually, a red grape varietal is pressed with the skins still on.  The red skins are left to sit in the juice for some small amount of time, which gives the otherwise white juice a little bit of color, body, and flavor.

In the second method of making rosé, a bit of red wine is added at some point in the process to a white wine.  And if you know anything about colors (or Valentine’s Day), red and white make pink!!  This method is mostly used for sparkling wines (think Pinot Noir/Meunier + Chardonnay = Champagne) and does not apply to when you’ve just switched back to drinking white in the same glass you were just drinking red in.  Rinse that glass out.

Personally, I just love rosé.  I am a red wine drinker through and through, but when its crazy hot outside and you’re enjoying a nice piece of fish by the ocean, you simply shouldn’t be drinking red.  Rosés are wonderful because they have some of the body and the big flavors of red wines, but they are served chilled and are easy drinking and much lighter than most reds.  I have a friend who is known to bring two bottles of rose to any party, and I think that is brilliant.  No matter what is being served, what people like to drink, or what the occasion, rosés are appropriate and delicious.

So, to the matter at hand.  Chateau de Campuget’s Rosé is sold at my local Pavilion’s for $9.99.  Pavilions is open until 1:30AM.  Therefore, this has become my most purchased Rosé of the past year based on availability after work hours alone.  It’s alright, though, because it’s an easy drinking wine that can also pair nicely with whatever Brad is cooking up at 2 in the morning.  Last week, it went wonderfully with a whole Striped Bass we had at a more appropriate dinner hour.

This is a more full rose, with an almost creamy mouthfeel and really intense berry notes.  I was being professional and writing down notes – in case I drank the whole bottle – and all I wanted to write was STRAWBERRY!!!  You’ll also get some tart raspberry on there, but watch out.  It’s a definite strawberry bomb.  Although, I was not surprised when I read about the soil in Nimes, where these grapes are grown (70% Syrah, 30% Grenache).  There is minerality and almost stoney-ness that really reflects the clay and pebbles found in the area.

I also read that the property is managed by a man named Franck-Lin Dalle, who is named after one of his dad’s heroes, Benjamin Franklin.  If that’s not an awesome wine fact, I don’t know what is.

Yep, I’m sure that’ll sell a bottle or two…

Anyway, who knows if this will turn into a Wine Wednesday thing or what, but I love to drink wine, I love to learn about wine, and I love to help people get out of their comfort zones and find something new to drink.

So, until next time, cheers!

xoxo