Rosé Garden

Life Experiences & Activities, , , , , , , ,

Rose GardenIt’s the most wonderful time of the year…rosé season. As the clock ticks closer to summer, you find yourself putting down the red and picking up the pink. From pale to dark, minerally to fruity, Provence to California, there is a rose to tickle anyone’s fancy.

Rosé has gotten a bad rep in recent times, but I am here to stand behind it. You may have remembered our Madonna Inn White Zinfandel pairing a while back and let’s get some shit straight. Most rosé, is not that sweet and bright pink drink you think of.

When I first started working at a wine shop, it was right around the start of rosé season.  I, like many others, didn’t know too much about it and didn’t “like” it because of its stigma. Grandmas, bad receptions, and hot pink, sickly sweet wine are a few thoughts that initially came to mind.

After trying our lineup of rosés (I know, the hardest job right?), I was able to experience it in its true delicate form. From then on, I was a believer.

As an ode to the glory that is rosé, we decided to “plant” our very own rosé garden over the weekend in Pasadena, just to show our readers how much we love this stuff. Plans for the week? I hope it involves some rose.
Pinterest

Grapefruit with Matthiasson Chardonnay

Art, Books & Magazines, Life Experiences & Activities, , , ,

matthaisson chardonnay

You initially think you hate it but you don’t really know why.  The truth is, you never really gave it a fair chance. A good lesson to teach yourself always is to question the ideas you clench so tightly to your chest. We adapt and change constantly even though we’d like to think we have ourselves figured out.

I have heard people say many times, “I HATE chardonnay”. It’s almost like saying you hate country music.  There is certainly some really good ones out there and you’re not doing yourself any favors by dismissing a whole genre.

I grew up with the Beatles.  They created a soundtrack that was the background of my childhood. At some point, I heard that Yoko Ono was the reason that the Beatles broke up.  Her voice sounded like a child, she looked like a witch and I always saw pictures of her just hanging around John Lennon. I hated her, but I didn’t really know why.

This was until I read through her book published in 1964, Grapefruit. It reads like a series of poems that are equally uplifting, hopeful, inspiring and innovative. Grapefruit makes me love art. The thing that makes me so sad is how many people dismiss her out of pure ignorance. In order to set the record straight on this and another brilliant misunderstood one I would like to pair my favorite book with California Chardonnay.

matthaisson chardonnay

Winemaker, Steve Matthiasson, makes a Chardonnay that makes me love Chardonnay. It achieves a balance that is so elegant and full of finesse you would be surprised to find it coming from Napa Valley (with prior judgements in mind). You would also be surprised that this wine is a little over $20 a bottle.
Pinterest

Los Topos Rosé paired with a grey day in LA

Life Experiences & Activities, Places & Events, , , , , , ,

In Los Angeles the grey days are very few.  When the sun decides to hide behind the clouds, that is the time when people in LA are most likely to talk about the weather. The norm here is cloudless with the sun blazing, so you could imagine why everyone goes into a tizzy when the clouds take over and the day is sunglasses optional.

Mark Adams is the assistant winemaker at Saxum, who makes his own wine for Ledge Vineyards called California Soul as well as the one we will focus on right now, Los Topos. Since we don’t really have seasons in Southern California, my clock starts to tick with the arrival of rosé. I know that summer is coming.

los topos

Let’s focus on the present though. It is a grey day. We are sitting on a beautiful patch of grass right by the SiIverlake Reservoir with a glass (or plastic cup) of Los Topos. The sun peeks through the clouds every once in awhile to remind us it’s there, but for the most part, the sky sets the tone for a lovely and tranquil day.  Pleasantly day drunk, we soak it in and recharge for whatever curve balls the next day will throw to us.

Remember to take some time to stop and taste the roses.
Pinterest