Hi all,
February’s the time to fall in love and share some sparkling, tender, sweet and passionate moments. With the cheese or not!
Week 1: Get in the mood with dim lights, Al Green and some (rosé) sparkles...
What it is
Italian sparkling rosé wine made from Nerello Mascalese (black) and Garganega (white) grapes.
What to expect
Appearance: Medium pink. Discrete bubbles in the glass but generous foam at the rim.
Nose: Very subtle fragrance of red summer fruits and roses.
Palate: true, the bubbles are very lively and the fruit flavours a little meagre but the acidity is quite refreshing, the alcohol thin and discrete. Don’t think for a minute this is anything like Champagne but for £5.99, this is pretty good!
A LIGHT & LIVELY SPARKLING ROSÉ. A MUCH CHEAPER, GOOD LOOKING & DECENT-TASTING ALTERNATIVE TO CHAMPAGNE/SPARKLING.
Score: 6-7/10 (wine shown)
You’ll like it if you like: strawberries, roses, Al Green, high acidity wine, Prosecco.
Some creamy savoury nibbles e.g. Mozzarella bruschetta with shaved fennel and courgette or Vol-au-vent. Strawberries & chantilly!
2) Tesco - £6.49 – On offer. Less pink but lots of peach & pear fruits and sweetness.
Did you know?
> Garganega is a white grape originating from Veneto and more precisely Verona, the town of Romeo & Juliet. Pure coincidence of course!
> Garganega is the 6th most widely planted white grape in Italy.
> Nerello Mascalese is a red wine grape that takes its name from the Mascari plain in Sicily where the grape is believed to come from. You can also find it in the Etna Rosso wine blend.
> It is very likely that both wines were first fermented separately then blended together before their 2nd fermentation. This is one of the only allowed occasion when a Rosé can be made of a mix of white and red wine (in Europe anyway).
> Al Green was born in 1946 and has sold more than 20 million records so far. Last UK appearance: Jonathan Ross in June 2010.
Enjoy your wine this weekend!
:@lex!
