Front row (left to right): Alfred van Gool, Vickie Bone, Sandra Laird, Rupa Mathur, Beverlee Deardorff, Eileen Whittaker; back row (left to right): Gary Laird, Jere Bone, Al Wright, Vivian Wright, Kathy Perry, Linda Sorg
Rosé has exploded in the U.S. over the past few years, especially during the warm months. In France, it now eclipses the sale of white wine and, rumor has it, Sting slugs bottles of the stuff during his live performances. It also is the perfect wine for sipping in the park or at a backyard barbeque. Kathy Perry and Linda Sorg invited the Wine Stewards to experience this perfect summer drink with a “Pretty in Pink” wine tasting.
Members feasted on pasta in rosé sauce surrounded by frilly pink linens while sipping various offerings of this popular wine. First was an Angeline Rosé of Pinot Noir with a 91-point rating. It comes from the Martin Ray Winery in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. This winery is the oldest winery in continuous operation in Sonoma County since 1881. The wine features fresh, macerated wild strawberries with bright citrus notes and racy, vibrant acidity. A touch of pink grapefruit and quince lingers throughout with a rich, creamy finish. A hard wine to follow, but it was accomplished with a glass of Cote des Rosés from the Gérard Bertrand winery located in the Languedoc region of France. Grenache, syrah, and cinsault combine to produce a bouquet of summer fruits and floral notes of rose, along with hints of grapefruit. The finish is fresh, offering notes of candy.
The evening closed with a surprise wine from the plains of Western Kansas. Petite Elephant Rosé comes from the Shiloh Vineyard in WaKeeney, Kan., where, according to their website, “drinking exquisite wines is a daily occurrence.” As always, the Wine Stewards enjoyed a perfectly relaxed evening with friends, good food, amazing wines, and an appreciation for Rosé.