Late Winter Warmer

Some months ago I had an opportunity to taste some of the most-renowned wines from the Cotes-du-Rhone, including a vertical tasting of Chateau Beaucastel. These were important and impressive wines, even the second bottlings, and we became fans. The family that produces these wines, the Perrins, also produce a very basic red and white that one often sees in restuarants. I'm not fond of white Cotes-du-Rhone (the only good one I ever had was on an afternoon stop in Avignon, on the banks of the Rhone itself), even the expensive ones, and the Perrin Bros white is not something I would willingly buy. Now, I've discovered, they have an even more modest line available, called La Vieille Ferme, the one above being a 2004 Cotes-du-Ventoux rose. You know it's modest because they sell 1.5 litre bottles as well, party size. Last Friday was about the warmest March day in remembered history, and in the mild air on the way home I suddenly felt a strong craving for rose. I should have specified somewhere along the way that I'm not really solely a white wine person, for I very much love a good rose. I drink it all summer long, and it is usually the wine of compromise when we're eating out and want a bottle to share. So I wandered into Fort Greene's new Best Buy Liquors -- formerly Ashland Liquors -- a large and curious shop we'll be mentioning a good deal in coming weeks, and what did I find but a lovely young French woman pouring rose. So I bought a bottle, $8.50 for the 750ml and $15.50 for the l.5 litre. This is an excellent transition wine; as you can see from the photo it is a deep, bold pink, really just a shade away from a light red. This is a wine with some booty, so your red wine friends will like it, and as a result it doesn't feel too light and summery to drink now. It smells a bit like raspberry boiled sweets, but that bothers me less in a rose, especially one as hearty as this. On the palate, it is all tart cranberries, with none of the other berry fruits one often finds in rose, and being a simple wine doesn't linger at all. You could serve this with pork, or you could if you eat pork, which I don't. Adam just brought a chunk of Cabrales around for my inspection while preparing an antipasto platter and I thought, yes, this rose would be a great aperitif with that. The wine is composed of 50% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, and 10% Syrah, all in a convenient screw-top bottle. I'm not sure I'll be drinking it in July, but for now, it makes me very happy. Rose in the glass, primroses on the windowsill, and sun that feels warm on your back. Spring is indeed close by. Also available online at wine.com for $7.99.