Tag: gifts for wine lovers

  • Toasting March with Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant

    We are toasting March with a favorite from Italy, Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant.

    The last time we told you about his wine was back on March 1, 2012, but we've shared this favorite with favorite people many times since then.

    IMG_8148

    About Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani

    This delightful, bone dry sparkler checks so many of our favorite aspects. It is light and lively with good fruit balance. It's 11% Alcohol by Volume, so we can sometimes enjoy a second glass.

    It's a great value. As one critic said, "Small, delicate bubbles, elegant and balanced, this lovely fizz from Italy cannot be labeled prosecco because it’s got a flip-top cap. Fine. Who cares? It’s the best on the market and it’s under $20."

    6a00e54fc42bb88834016762c03a4a970b-800wi

    If you plan to pop a bottle of this beauty with us, reach for your favorite bottle opener because it has a “Spark Cap” also know as a Crown Cap.

    IMG_8124

    The second old friend featured this month is Neal Rosenthal. He is one of our favorite and most dependable importers of wine. We have been following his work and learning from his writing for years.

    Penny had the opportunity to meet him when his book, "Reflections of a Wine Merchant: On a Lifetime in the Vineyards and Cellars of France and Italy," was published and found him as charming as his wines.

    When a friend asked for a way to deal with wine lists when she was entertaining clients, we suggested she ask, "Do you have anything imported by Rosenthal?"

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    If you have ever seen the Mondovino series on wine, you may agree with us that Neal Rosenthal is the hero of the world of wine as explored in that documentary.

    Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month! This year we've decided to revisit a lot of old friends – wines that are usually in our wine rack, that we often order when we dine out, and that we choose for special occasions.

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier Is Our Choice for a 2018 New Year’s Toast

    Some years we do a long search for a special sparkling wine, finding a rare bottle that we will experience for the first time. This year, at our first shopping stop, we ran into an old favorite that brought back great memories of past toasts, so we went with it – a bottle of Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier!

    P1000821

    This is a year when we want to think about past wines as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Sparkling Resolution we made back in 2007 and have kept ever since. We said New Years was not often enough to toast to the good things we had experienced in the past and what we looked forward to in the future, so we should raise a glass of sparkling wine for the first of every month. For 10 years we have happily kept that resolution and many of those wines have been featured here. 

    By the way, while some of our featured wines are hard to find, this one is widely distributed. If you are thinking of bringing this bubbly to someone special as a New Years gift, see if you can find a bottle in the impressive copper box with a magnetic cover. It will cost $70 – $95 but is definitely worth it!

    Maceration

    We discovered this Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier years ago at Upstairs on the Square. (Sadly now gone from the great restaurant scene.)  It was on the wine list at a price that was so reasonable that we asked one of our favorite bartenders to check that it was right. It was and we enjoyed this on a number of visits over the years. It will be great to toast 2018 and our memories of the great staff and collection of regulars who shared that bar with us.

    About this wine from the winemaker:

    Grape varietal: Pinot Noir 100%

    Crus: 10 different crus located mainly in the South and North areas of the Montagne de Reims – including the famous Côte de Bouzy – notably from the finest crus of Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois and Tours-sur-Marne.

    The grapes from carefully selected plots are sorted and destemmed before vatting. The maceration – lasting from 48h to 72h depending on the harvest – helps the extraction of the colour and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.

    Ageing: 5 years minimum.

    Flacon

    What the reviewers say about Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier:

    K&L Wines

    "Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100%-rated grands crus villages, this Champagne gets its glorious pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Rosé not only makes a delicious apéritif, but is also a good match for a variety of different dishes. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer)"

    Wine Enthusiast

    "Orange-pink in color, this dry wine has some good bottle age that has rounded the corners and allowed toast to join the red fruits and orange zest flavors. A complex background of acidity, structure and final tautness makes this wine ready to drink now."

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    UpStairs On The Square Still A Well Rounded Favorite

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: Top photo ©2017 Penny Cherubino, Others courtesy of Laurent-Perrier  

  • Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier Is Our Choice for a 2018 New Year’s Toast

    Some years we do a long search for a special sparkling wine, finding a rare bottle that we will experience for the first time. This year, at our first shopping stop, we ran into an old favorite that brought back great memories of past toasts, so we went with it – a bottle of Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier!

    P1000821

    This is a year when we want to think about past wines as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Sparkling Resolution we made back in 2007 and have kept ever since. We said New Years was not often enough to toast to the good things we had experienced in the past and what we looked forward to in the future, so we should raise a glass of sparkling wine for the first of every month. For 10 years we have happily kept that resolution and many of those wines have been featured here. 

    By the way, while some of our featured wines are hard to find, this one is widely distributed. If you are thinking of bringing this bubbly to someone special as a New Years gift, see if you can find a bottle in the impressive copper box with a magnetic cover. It will cost $70 – $95 but is definitely worth it!

    Maceration

    We discovered this Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier years ago at Upstairs on the Square. (Sadly now gone from the great restaurant scene.)  It was on the wine list at a price that was so reasonable that we asked one of our favorite bartenders to check that it was right. It was and we enjoyed this on a number of visits over the years. It will be great to toast 2018 and our memories of the great staff and collection of regulars who shared that bar with us.

    About this wine from the winemaker:

    Grape varietal: Pinot Noir 100%

    Crus: 10 different crus located mainly in the South and North areas of the Montagne de Reims – including the famous Côte de Bouzy – notably from the finest crus of Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois and Tours-sur-Marne.

    The grapes from carefully selected plots are sorted and destemmed before vatting. The maceration – lasting from 48h to 72h depending on the harvest – helps the extraction of the colour and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.

    Ageing: 5 years minimum.

    Flacon

    What the reviewers say about Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier:

    K&L Wines

    "Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100%-rated grands crus villages, this Champagne gets its glorious pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Rosé not only makes a delicious apéritif, but is also a good match for a variety of different dishes. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer)"

    Wine Enthusiast

    "Orange-pink in color, this dry wine has some good bottle age that has rounded the corners and allowed toast to join the red fruits and orange zest flavors. A complex background of acidity, structure and final tautness makes this wine ready to drink now."

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    UpStairs On The Square Still A Well Rounded Favorite

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: Top photo ©2017 Penny Cherubino, Others courtesy of Laurent-Perrier  

  • Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé Is Our Pick for a December 1st Toast to a Happy New Month

    This Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé was actually selected for a birthday toast earlier this year, but we did so much celebrating out and about that we never did open the bottle. Now we want to be sure to taste it before the year gets away from us. 

    CHE_4028

    Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!

    Pc-label500-rose

    Here's what our research has told us about Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé.

    First of all, tasters' notes on this wine were all over the place. Ed said it made him wonder if they were all tasting the same wine. But the good news is they all liked it!

    • Bruce McNamee of Boutique Wines called it, "… rich and floral, perfumed with rose, raspberry, and blackcurrant … refreshing, fruit driven Rosé d’assemblage is ideal on a warm summer [?] it is also a good dessert companion."
    • The review at Mel & Rose said, "I like this Champagne's marriage of power and finesse." 
    • Over at Paul Clouet their tasting notes say, "With a nice scent of Pinot Noble, this rosé blend is a tender wine, long and racy with a delicious fruity. A wine aperitif but especially a wine that has its place throughout the meal."
    • As for the production notes, Paul Clouet says, "The Rosé Paul Clouet is a rosé blend, part of the red wine of Bouzy, used for the development of its Coteaux Champenois red is incorporated into a blend of white wines. The first fermentation takes place in thermoregulated stainless steel vats, ensuring optimum preservation of the primary aromas of the grapes. After this first fermentation and before bottling, approximately 12% of Bouzy red wine is incorporated into the basic blend. After the draw, the foam and aging in the cellar are done under classic corking.
      After disgorging, the Rosé benefits from a measured dosage and then rests for 6 months in the cellar before shipment, time necessary to allow the wine to assimilate the sugar of the liqueur of expedition and to find its equilibrium."

      Pc-bottle200-rose


    We purchased our bottle at City Liquors in Cambridge for ~$62. Here's the back label which will help if you're trying to find this wine in another area. When you take a photo of a wine with the hope of finding that wine for your own collection, be sure to take the BACK label as well. That one is more help to your wine merchant.

    IMG_7260

    12/02/17 UPDATE with our tasting notes

    P1000257

    With the pop of a cork, we eased out of a hectic November hoping for a calmer, quieter December and took our first sips of Paul Clouet Rosé. After a slight pause, I heard, “I am loving this wine!” Penny was right, and it only got better from there.

    As the Champagne warmed (55º to 60º+) with Penny on the high end, we began to relax. This bubbly paired well with our choice of Asian food along with some bitter-sweet chocolate for dessert.

    Alright December – so far, so good!

    Campagne Paul Clouet Rosé is our second winner from Transatlantic Bubbles adding to a list of trusted names  (Neil Rosenthal, Kermit Lynch, Terry Theise, Oz Wines …)  that we look for on the back label of wine bottles.  

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé Is Our Pick for a December 1st Toast to a Happy New Month

    This Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé was actually selected for a birthday toast earlier this year, but we did so much celebrating out and about that we never did open the bottle. Now we want to be sure to taste it before the year gets away from us. 

    CHE_4028

    Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!

    Pc-label500-rose

    Here's what our research has told us about Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé.

    First of all, tasters' notes on this wine were all over the place. Ed said it made him wonder if they were all tasting the same wine. But the good news is they all liked it!

    • Bruce McNamee of Boutique Wines called it, "… rich and floral, perfumed with rose, raspberry, and blackcurrant … refreshing, fruit driven Rosé d’assemblage is ideal on a warm summer [?] it is also a good dessert companion."
    • The review at Mel & Rose said, "I like this Champagne's marriage of power and finesse." 
    • Over at Paul Clouet their tasting notes say, "With a nice scent of Pinot Noble, this rosé blend is a tender wine, long and racy with a delicious fruity. A wine aperitif but especially a wine that has its place throughout the meal."
    • As for the production notes, Paul Clouet says, "The Rosé Paul Clouet is a rosé blend, part of the red wine of Bouzy, used for the development of its Coteaux Champenois red is incorporated into a blend of white wines. The first fermentation takes place in thermoregulated stainless steel vats, ensuring optimum preservation of the primary aromas of the grapes. After this first fermentation and before bottling, approximately 12% of Bouzy red wine is incorporated into the basic blend. After the draw, the foam and aging in the cellar are done under classic corking.
      After disgorging, the Rosé benefits from a measured dosage and then rests for 6 months in the cellar before shipment, time necessary to allow the wine to assimilate the sugar of the liqueur of expedition and to find its equilibrium."

      Pc-bottle200-rose


    We purchased our bottle at City Liquors in Cambridge for ~$62. Here's the back label which will help if you're trying to find this wine in another area. When you take a photo of a wine with the hope of finding that wine for your own collection, be sure to take the BACK label as well. That one is more help to your wine merchant.

    IMG_7260

    12/02/17 UPDATE with our tasting notes

    P1000257

    With the pop of a cork, we eased out of a hectic November hoping for a calmer, quieter December and took our first sips of Paul Clouet Rosé. After a slight pause, I heard, “I am loving this wine!” Penny was right, and it only got better from there.

    As the Champagne warmed (55º to 60º+) with Penny on the high end, we began to relax. This bubbly paired well with our choice of Asian food along with some bitter-sweet chocolate for dessert.

    Alright December – so far, so good!

    Campagne Paul Clouet Rosé is our second winner from Transatlantic Bubbles adding to a list of trusted names  (Neil Rosenthal, Kermit Lynch, Terry Theise, Oz Wines …)  that we look for on the back label of wine bottles.  

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Michael Serpa Selects Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 736 as Our Sparkler for June 2015

    We toast June 2015 with Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 736 thanks to Chef and Partner Michael Serpa from Select Oyster Bar in Boston’s Back Bay.

    CHE_7729 - Version 32015-05-27-jacquesson-champagne-select-oyster-bar-patio-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Since the opening of this neighborhood spot back in April, we’ve enjoyed many glasses of sparkling wine with our meals and afternoon snacks at the Select bar. We picked one and then another as a possible wine to celebrate the arrival of June, but couldn’t decide. We finally asked Chef Serpa if he would choose for us and he agreed.

    CHE_7687 - Version 22015-05-27-jacquesson-champagne-select-oyster-bar-patio-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We slipped out onto the patio at Select while lunch customers were finishing up their meals to photograph this wine.

    One of the first things we learned was that, in addition to having a sparkler to enjoy on June 1st, our newest wine mentor was offering us another importer to add to our list of great resources. He loves the wines from Vintage 59 and offers a number of selections from their portfolio on his current list. 

    Chef Serpa calls Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 736, “Balanced.” We agree and love that he has picked so many wines like this that match perfectly with his food. As to this one, he pointed out, “Champagne is the ultimate food wine!” 

    CHE_7704 - Version 22015-05-27-jacquesson-champagne-select-oyster-bar-patio-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    You’ll notice that the glasses used for this tasting (which was generously shared with us) are not flutes.

    Serpa has great reasons for his sparkling wine glass choice, “Any nicer sparkling wine, I think, just works much better in a standard kind of wine glass rather than a flute, just because you get the aroma…” “When you’re drinking great wine,” he said, “I think it should be in a proper glass where you’re going to get the full experience of the wine.” 

    He recognizes the celebratory feel of a flute and you’ll find flutes on hand at Select, but you may be offered the choice of a flute or a wine glass with a particular wine. 

    DSC_6000 - Version 22015-05-27michael-serpa--jacquesson-champagne-select-oyster-bar-patio-© 2014 Penny Cherubino   DSC_5999 - Version 22015-05-27chef-michael-serpa-jacquesson-champagne-select-oyster-bar-patio-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Between lunch and dinner service, we moved inside to the large table by the window to talk more about wine.

    Wine Temperature

    You may also have noticed that he did not put this bottle in a wine chiller. We often suggest drinking a great wine, like this one, through a range of temperatures. We were delighted that he agrees, “As it warms up, you taste a little bit more of the wine.” He explained that with the lower alcohol levels in many sparkling wines, you won’t experience that hot taste of alcohol as the wine warms, the way you might in a 15% ABV wine. You just enjoy more of the full flavor the wine has to offer.

    A Toast for June

    We asked Chef Serpa what he’ll be toasting on June 1st as he joins us in welcoming a Happy New Month! He has great reason to celebrate because he’ll be toasting his 30th birthday on June 2nd. He said, “I think it’s going to be a good year!” We agreed and wished him a good decade. He responded that the first 30 were good!

    Click over to twitter @michaelserpa, (where he claims the title of, “Handyman @selectboston in Boston’s Back Bay,”) and wish him a Happy Birthday on June 2nd. Or post a birthday greeting on the Select Facebook page. He certainly has our best wishes for a happy and successful third decade of life.

    A Big Thank You to Chef Serpa!

    Thank you for the time you took out of a busy afternoon to share this wonderful wine with us and our readers. And, thanks for starting a new BostonZest tradition of letting people we trust select our sparkler of the month, from time to time.

    DSC_6012 - Version 22015-05-27-jacquesson-champagne-select-oyster-bar-patio-© 2014 Penny Cherubino (1)

    About This Wine

    • Name: Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 736
    • Type of wine: Champagne
    • Year or N/V: N/V but based on 2008 harvest
    • Blend: 53% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir, and 18% Pinot Meunier with reserve wines from 2007 and 2006 harvests (34%)
    • Country of origin: Dizy, France
    • Alcohol by Volume: 12%
    • Importer: Vintage 59
    • Distributor: Ruby Wines
    • Price per bottle in the restaurant: $98.

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we’ve covered. Since this is a category this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

    The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine

    The New Wine Lover’s Companion

    The Wine Bible

     

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • We Toast the Month of May with Nino Franco Faive Rosé Brut

    This month, we’ll toast the start of another calendar page and say “Happy New Month” with a Faive Rosé Brut from the wonderful family at Nino Franco

    CHE_6996 - Version 22015-04-21-Faive-Rose-brut-nino-franco-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    In reading some of the great reviews of this wine, we found someone who agrees with our sparkling wine philosophy.

    Charles Scicolone, a wine consultant that the New York Times called “The Maestro of Italian Wines,” includes Nino Franco Faive Rosé in a list of some of his favorite sparklers,

    “Most of us think of sparkling wine as something that should only be drunk on special occasions or at Christmas and New Years, but I don’t agree. Sparkling wine can be enjoyed all year round and I especially like it in the summer and always with food.”

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401b8d0773125970c-800wi

    Last October, we first tasted this sparkling wine along with others from the Nino Franco line at Brix Wine Shop. At the tasting, we added a couple of bottles to our order because we have friends who we suspect will love this wine and we wanted to have some on hand when they visit. 

    Then, we opened a bottle at home and had it with food and without sharing our attention with some of our all time favorite Proseccos. We discovered that we love this Nino Franco wine for a whole set of different reasons. We added a few bottles to our next order from Brix to be sure to have some for our pals despite dipping into the supply from time to time.

    Screen Shot 2015-04-21 at Tuesday, April 21, 20159.41.56 AM

    Rosé as a Rite of Spring

    We browsed our wine rack to pick a sparkler for May and remembered the strawberry notes and clean dry finish of the Faive. It seemed a perfect choice. Others agree.

    Wine & Spirits 2013: “More red than rosé, this has the dark flavor of pomegranate …. There’s something oddly refreshing in it, a quirky rosé to chill for the beach, to serve with grilled shellfish.” 

    Independent Wine Review: “This “Faive” Rosé bubbles on across an impressive length. Drier than most rosé sparkling wines made in the Prosecco zone of production and purer in flavour.”

    Sommelier’s Choice: “In many ways a wine that defies classification (not legally permitted to be labelled Prosecco, drier than most rosé sparkling wines made in the Prosecco zone of production and purer in flavour and made differently to rosé Champagne) this “Faive” Rosé Spumante is defined by flavours of strawberries, wild raspberries and freshly picked nectarines. Almost completely dry and underpinned by an ever-present but subtle and nicely integrated mousse, this “Faive” Rosé bubbles on across an impressive length.”

    Charles Scicolone: “The wine is light salmon in color, with good bubbles, nice red fruit and a hint of pear.”

    Tidbits About Faive Rosé Brut

    Pronunciation: Fie-EE-vay

    Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc

    ABV: 12%

    Importer’s serving suggestions: Faive should be enjoyed from the first spring days, over the summer until late autumn. Serve with small appetizing bites ranging from cheese, to lightly steamed shrimp and cheese straws.

    What Does the Name Mean?

    Faive: from the Venetian dialect, are the small gilded red tongues of flame and sparks rising towards the sky from a great fire, lightly and freely carried by the wind.

    It certainly sparked some smiles around here. Happy new month!

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast …

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we’ve covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

    The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine

    The New Wine Lover’s Companion

    The Wine Bible

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2014-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino with the bottle alone courtesy of Nino Franco.

  • We Toast the Month of May with Nino Franco Faive Rosé Brut

    This month, we’ll toast the start of another calendar page and say “Happy New Month” with a Faive Rosé Brut from the wonderful family at Nino Franco

    CHE_6996 - Version 22015-04-21-Faive-Rose-brut-nino-franco-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    In reading some of the great reviews of this wine, we found someone who agrees with our sparkling wine philosophy.

    Charles Scicolone, a wine consultant that the New York Times called “The Maestro of Italian Wines,” includes Nino Franco Faive Rosé in a list of some of his favorite sparklers,

    “Most of us think of sparkling wine as something that should only be drunk on special occasions or at Christmas and New Years, but I don’t agree. Sparkling wine can be enjoyed all year round and I especially like it in the summer and always with food.”

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401b8d0773125970c-800wi

    Last October, we first tasted this sparkling wine along with others from the Nino Franco line at Brix Wine Shop. At the tasting, we added a couple of bottles to our order because we have friends who we suspect will love this wine and we wanted to have some on hand when they visit. 

    Then, we opened a bottle at home and had it with food and without sharing our attention with some of our all time favorite Proseccos. We discovered that we love this Nino Franco wine for a whole set of different reasons. We added a few bottles to our next order from Brix to be sure to have some for our pals despite dipping into the supply from time to time.

    Screen Shot 2015-04-21 at Tuesday, April 21, 20159.41.56 AM

    Rosé as a Rite of Spring

    We browsed our wine rack to pick a sparkler for May and remembered the strawberry notes and clean dry finish of the Faive. It seemed a perfect choice. Others agree.

    Wine & Spirits 2013: “More red than rosé, this has the dark flavor of pomegranate …. There’s something oddly refreshing in it, a quirky rosé to chill for the beach, to serve with grilled shellfish.” 

    Independent Wine Review: “This “Faive” Rosé bubbles on across an impressive length. Drier than most rosé sparkling wines made in the Prosecco zone of production and purer in flavour.”

    Sommelier’s Choice: “In many ways a wine that defies classification (not legally permitted to be labelled Prosecco, drier than most rosé sparkling wines made in the Prosecco zone of production and purer in flavour and made differently to rosé Champagne) this “Faive” Rosé Spumante is defined by flavours of strawberries, wild raspberries and freshly picked nectarines. Almost completely dry and underpinned by an ever-present but subtle and nicely integrated mousse, this “Faive” Rosé bubbles on across an impressive length.”

    Charles Scicolone: “The wine is light salmon in color, with good bubbles, nice red fruit and a hint of pear.”

    Tidbits About Faive Rosé Brut

    Pronunciation: Fie-EE-vay

    Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc

    ABV: 12%

    Importer’s serving suggestions: Faive should be enjoyed from the first spring days, over the summer until late autumn. Serve with small appetizing bites ranging from cheese, to lightly steamed shrimp and cheese straws.

    What Does the Name Mean?

    Faive: from the Venetian dialect, are the small gilded red tongues of flame and sparks rising towards the sky from a great fire, lightly and freely carried by the wind.

    It certainly sparked some smiles around here. Happy new month!

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast …

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we’ve covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

    The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine

    The New Wine Lover’s Companion

    The Wine Bible

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2014-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino with the bottle alone courtesy of Nino Franco.