January 26, 2017

Zestos Garnache Rose

Oh, my kingdom for a dry Rose. 

A dry Rose is consistently one of my favorite wines.  It’s unfortunate that White Zinfandel has ruined the idea of a rose for most of America.  There are so many wonderful rose’s out there that are consistently ignored and overshadowed by the curse of White Zin.

But let me lift the curse for you.

This beautiful wine has a nose of mineral and flowers.  It smells drier than a Pinot Gris.  Of course, this one is from the center of Spain so be prepared for a heavy nose.  The only fruit I notice is a hint of grapefruit that blends nicely with the minerals.

The wine maker’s website will tell you flavors and nose of strawberry.  I don’t notice that at all.

To me, from the nose to the flavor, the most outstanding part of this wine is the minerals.  It forces the wine to be drier than most whites without the heaviness of a red.  It’s light and lovely. 

If White Zin is the wicked witch who put a curse on Rose in the US, then this wine is the noble knight riding in to save the day.

Find a bottle of this and re-think your opinions on Rose.

Pair with almost anything, but I like this with Salmon.  Make the salmon without a heavy sauce or seasoning – just salt, pepper, and a touch of lemon juice.  This wine will rescue the damsel, slay the dragon, and save the village.