While I’m very fond of a nice Barolo now and then, my preference is generally for lighter reds. My day to day tipple during most of the year would be a local rosé, many of which are excellent.
We were in the Chateau Mentone shop a few weeks ago buying a little stash to bring back to Dublin and they mentioned their new “hybrid” red/rosé. We couldn’t taste it in the shop and thought it sounded a bit bizarre. I regret not buying a bottle now as maybe it’s their take on Clairet? Anyway I look forward to tasting it and the Bordeaux version in the near future.
BTW, my son-in-law and daughter brought us to Chateau Mentone for lunch on my birthday in July. It was excellent. Lovely staff, lovely food, excellent wine and a lovely setting, and it didn’t cost a fortune For anyone within lunching distance of or travelling through Saint-Antonin-du-Var, 83510, I throughly recommend it.
Gosh, it might well have been delicious… pity you didn’t take a flyer on it… but there’s always next time.
We used to “taste” our way around France and buy something if we liked it and could afford it
On the other hand, if we saw locals snapping up something which was unknown to us, we quickly learnt to trust their judgement (especially if it was “on offer”)
“Bordeaux reds have been known for centuries in Britain as claret. But this much debated word dates from when England’s Henry II and his descendants ruled in medieval Aquitaine. Back then, the reds of Bordeaux were often lighter, fresher wines known as clairet, somewhere between a modern red and a rosé, to be drunk young, which for the English meant soon after they arrived from their voyage from France.”
I’m on the slippery slope, confess to having enjoyed 3 glasses of chilled Rosé with this evenings meal instead of my usual 1 glass.
We buy the Rosé from a small vineyard run/owned by a friend’s family. They do it all themselves, work the land, tend the vines, harvest the grapes… and then the magic begins.
I apparently have no class at all, and enjoyed a glass of chilled Anjou rosé this evening, about 4 euros a bottle in Leclerc. It’s only 10%, which isn’t a bad thing.
On warm afternoons an Anjou rosé is high on my list of things to drink. I also enjoy Anjou reds when it’s warm as they are light and enjoyable. I spend a weekend at a Historic motor sport event in the Saumur wine region every year and there’s a social side to that. I enjoy getting to know their very local wines as well.
I believe Saumur is the home of Gratien and Meyer who make my favourite sparkling wines. They did use to make a sparkling red but I haven’t found it for a while. Neither have I found the Australian sparkling Shiraz I used to enjoy.
If you are in the Alsace or anywhere near the Moselle try to get hold of a Spaetburgunder
(Pinot noir style German red). Served chilled it is a great summer wine…
For anyone within lunching distance of or travelling through Saint-Antonin-du-Var, 83510, I throughly recommend it.
