Wines of the Week: Sept. 12-18
Everyday: A lot of folks might think that rosé’s season is just about over, that these pink beauties are merely summer sippers. The guess here is that they haven’t tasted the Commanderie de la Bargemone Coteaux d’Aix en Provence rosé ($16), a ripe red-berry delight with the weight to hold up to the best of fall’s foods. The first sip evokes the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever,” the fruity-tart balance is flawless, and this wine defines rosé’s balancing act: the crispness of a white plus the depth of a red. After enjoying it with roast pork, winter squash and sautéed mushrooms, save some for perhaps its best setting: the Thanksgiving table.
Occasion: Speaking of gorgeous red fruit, the Bouchard 1er Cru Monthélie “Les Duresses” 2009 ($35) boasts that and a whole lot more: the earthiness that makes it readily apparent that this wine sprung from Burgundy and enough stuffing to esnure that it will age beautifully. That is, if any of us can keep our grubby little palates off of it for very long. Speaking of very long, that’s another attribute of this rustic, cherry-berry delight. Can’t wait to try it with some roast fowl (maybe at our imminent first stab at capon) or another couple of Italian dishes that we’re way overdue to revisit: saltimbocca and pasta puttanesca.