wine
BY LANCE SPARKS
Rosie Daze
Sparkles for high summer eves
A
t last we’re getting hot. Well,
not actually hot, at least not
here in the moisty Willamette
Valley. Elsewhere, all across the country
(and wider world), people are baking
in drought conditions, crops drying and
dying, herds starving, swarms of locusts
consuming every green leaf and shoot.
“This is what global warming looks like,”
said one climatologist. Meanwhile, paid
mouthpieces deny the problems (getting
harder to do) and the perfectly apparent
causes, doing their forked-tongue best to
enable those who profi t from destructive
actions to continue reaping obscene levels
of profi t while, simultaneously, ensuring
that the looming agonies will morph to
nearly total disaster.
The deniers have friends in Oregon
(thanks, Art, checks are in the mail), and
our balmy conditions make it easier for
sensitives among us to express our regrets
for the sufferers while roaming our green
fi elds and sipping sweet, clean air. And
who can blame us? Certainly not I.
My grandchildren are healthy and
beautiful, lean, brown and strong. They
dash through our garden, laughing,
shouting, singing silly songs, stopping at
the blueberry bushes to gobble handsful
of ripe fruit. Brian, the 5-year-old we
call Little Bear, ravages the plants, and
that’s OK, better than OK. Meagan,
our precocious 7-year-
old, practices handstands
until her grandparents are
exhausted. The sun is mildly
warm. A fi ne mist watered
us this morning. Tonight, we’ll
barbeque with friends and nip cool
wines and cherish these golden days.
The wines we’ll sip will be rosés, but not
those schlocky-pink “blush” wines. Nope,
these’re the real deal: dry, crisp, slightly
chilled wines with complex fl avors —
but not so complex we have to talk about
them — complements to summer’s simpler
foods, cold meats, fresh fi sh and salads.
Those wily French folk, especially
those in the sweltering southern valleys of
the Provence region, are masters of these
pinkish beauties, but Oregonians have
been quite successfully experimenting
with rosies made from pinot noir (and
others). Note: all rosés start with black/red
grapes; contact with the red skins impart
the colors, ranging from very pale, even
colorless, to pink/salmon to intensely
pink, actually light red. They can also be
vinifi ed as still wines or sparkling, with
tasty results. Herewith, some of our faves:
Sparkles for the summer eve: Jaillance
Cremant de Bordeaux Cuvée d l’Abbaye
Brut Rose ($15) is just terrifi c. Cremant
means this sparkler is under less pressure
than usual, tending toward smooth and
Oregon’s Largest Selection Of Wine
S NDANCE
creamy. Flavors here touch on
raspberries and strawberries
with notes of vanilla.
Crowd
pleaser:
Bergstrom 2011 Rosé
Oregon Pinot Noir ($19)
is very pale but very pretty
across the palate with delicate
fl avors of roses and red berries.
Try with cold salmon — yum!
Picnic packer: Spindrift Cellars
Pinot Noir Rosé 2011 ($14.50) is pale
pink, but gold- medal quality. Taste for
red berries, watermelon, whiff of peaches,
tang of tangerine, well balanced to match
with white cheeses, picnic fare. Screwcap
adds portability — and plain good sense.
Traditional charm: Clos Cibonne 2010
Tibouren Cotes de Provence ($26): The
ticket may be a bit steep, but this is Provencal
rosé as it’s always been: pale in color,
complex in fl avors, distinguished by that hint
of orange zest. I’m thinkn’ cold pasta salad
with mussels (if available) or salmon.
Classic: Lovers of rosés hit the heights
with Bandol Domaine du Gros Noré
2010 ($34), a blend of Rhone-valley
powerhouse grapes — mourvedre, syrah,
Grenache — to deliver complex fl avors
suitable to a wide range of summer grub
— surf, turf or coop — served cold or hot.
It’s just the standard by which others are
measured, a benchmark wine.
Let’s take our pleasures while we may,
friends. These are the wines that ease the
pains. And send some love to our neighbors
who are struggling in drying climes. ew
“FEED YOUR CRAVINGS!”
w ne cellars
JULY 31-AUGUST 4
& AUGUST 7-11
AMAZON PARK
Performances at 11:00 AM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 4TH
Bring a picnic and join us for
Lunch with the Characters
after the show!
TICKETS: $5
Children under 3 FREE
Group discounts available
Produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama
Service Inc., Englewood, Colorado and in partnership with
City of Eugene Recreation Services.
F OR
M O RE I N F O R M A T I O N :
PAG ES . U O R E G O N . EDU / MADDUCKLING
BATES
IT’S WHAT’S
FOR LUNCH
ED
VOT ST
BE AK
STE
50% OFF
World’s Largest Selection of Oregon Pinot Noir
A DINNER ENTREE OF EQUAL
OR LESSER VALUE WITH THE
PURCHASE OF ONE ENTREE
& TWO BEVERAGES AT
REGULAR PRICE (UP TO $15 VALUE)
Masi 2008 Campofiorin
One Coupon Per Table | Expires August 31, 2012
Not Valid With Any Other Offer
“Rich and suave in the mouth, with ripe red fruit and chocolate flavors” 88pts. Tanzer
Reg. $19.95 , NOW
$12.95
Martinsancho 2010 Rueda Verdejo
/81&+021)5,3030
',11(5'$,/<#30
23(1)25/81&+021)5, ',11(5'$<6$:((.
“Light-bodied, with a clean finish.” 84 pts WS
Reg. $19.95 , NOW
$14.50
Clos du Bois 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet
Deep, luscious, with ripe plum & blackberry notes with a touch of licorice & toasty oak.
Reg. $22.95 , NOW
$19.95
Special Thursday Free Tasting
Aug 9 from 5-7 pm
Austrian Wines by the importer
Offers good while supplies last
These wines available for sampling – drop in and have a taste!
Fridays:Mario’s picks!
8/03 Sauvignon Blanc
8/10 Mario’s picks
8/17 Mario’s picks
8/24 Mario’s picks
Free
Tastings
5 to 7 pm
2441 Hilyard Street
www.orwines.com
541.687.9463
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
Saturdays:Wineries!
8/04 Grape Exp., Distrib.
8/11 Mitchell, OR
8/18 Tesoaria, OR
8/25 Remy, OR
Open daily until 7pm
Local merchants, the heart of our community
EUGENE WEEKLY AUGUST 2, 2012 29