Another month means another wine to keep Our Sparkling Resolution to enjoy a glass of bubbles on the first of every month. This time Patrice Colin Les Perles Grises (Perles Grises = Grey Pearls) offered us both a winemaker and a grape we had never tried.
This food friendly rosé from France's Loire Valley is made from 100% Pineau d’Aunis. (This grape is also known as Chenin Noir but bears no resemblance to Chenin Blanc.) The production is biodynamic and the vineyard has been in the same family since the 1800s.
Here are a few comments about this sparkler that we found in our tasting research:
Carolyn Joy wrote, "Perles Grises is perfect on its own or with food. Its mid-bodied structure and balanced acidity allows for pairing with light white meats, seafood and shellfish as well as appetizers and desserts."
Palate Press says, "Very light, almost clear, copper color. The nose is interesting, a bouquet of white flowers and pencil shavings. On the palate it has huge flavors of pencil shavings with flint, rose water, pepper, and red currants. Smoke lingers on the finish. Pair with a fruit tart dessert."
Europa Wine Merchant wrote, "This bubbly made with the Pineau d’Aunis grape this has the varietal’s tell tale peppery quality along with scents of rose blossom, lilac, white raspberry, mirabelle plum and lanolin, firm, mineral, stony palate presence with pretty notes of small red berries, fresh herbs and a peppery finish all in Colin’s elegant style."
We sampled a bottle of this wine with friends and a table full of delicious seafood. The comments were positive and at the $15 price point it is certainly one we'll buy again.
Finding new wines to toast each new month keeps us on a constant treasure hunt. We seldom pass a wine shop without stopping in to explore its offerings. This wine came from City Liquors on one of our favorite blocks of Cambridge Street in Cambridge. (map)
Penny was pleased with both the selection and service when she stopped in while making routine visits to Mayflower Poultry, Petsi Pies, and New Deal Fish Market. It looks like she'll pack an extra quarter for the parking meter in future visits to this food and wine lovers block.
What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino, City Liquors photos from own site.