Only Four Rosés This Month,
But Many More in the Store
With summer in full swing we have our largest selection of rosés in the store. In this month’s letter we want to bring to your attention four particularly great ones. These are more deeply colored and richer than you might expect from rosé.

Catalan Rules
2014 Penedès ‘Ros de Pacs’ (Parés Baltà)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
Ros is Catalan for rosé and Parés Baltà’s 2014, while being a bit lighter colored than usual is still a spicy, full flavored organic rosé. We especially like the light tannic structure that leads to a dry finish. Break out the paella pan.

Moutète’s Last Ride?
2014 Côtes de Provence Rosé (Château La Moutète)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Last year we mistakenly informed you that 2013 was going to be La Moutète’s last vintage. Now we’re happy to announce the return of the delicious pink Côtes de Provence under Domaines Ott, the new owner. It tastes like a seamless conversion. Moutète remains a full-flavored dry rosé with light peachy fruit and a long, cool finish. A delight with a lobster roll after a day at the beach.

Couly Chinon
2014 Chinon Rosé ‘René Couly’ (Couly-Dutheil)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Ripe Cabernet Franc grapes make the Couly-Dutheil Chinon Rosé a delight. With its rich body, complex red fruitiness, and long, decadent finish, this is meant for food. Perfect with seared salmon on a bed of lentils.

Bandol
2014 Bandol Rosé (Domaine Dupuy de Lôme)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
So far our best Bandol Rosé of the season is also our least expensive. Domaine Dupuy de Lôme is an organically grown Bandol Rosé, with the Mourvèdre grape (70%) giving heft and spice, while Grenache and Cinsault add fruit and crispness. Give this a go with seared tuna and all the salade niçoise fixings.

Dry Riesling: One Grown in Limestone, One in Red Soil
2013 Niersteiner Paterberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken (Georg Albrecht Schneider)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
2013 Niersteiner Hipping Riesling Spätlese Trocken (Georg Albrecht Schneider)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Terroir, that ever elusive term of art, receives an interestingly delicious demonstration here by the excellent Rheinhessen winemaker Georg Albrecht Schneider. His Riesling vines in the Paterberg vineyard are planted in Limestone (Kalk). His Riesling vines in the Hipping vineyard are planted on red soil (Rotliegenden). Both of these 2013 wines are fermented dry (trocken). The Paterberg, harvested at Kabinett levels, is a decidedly earthy dry white, with a persistent, pleasantly chalky dry finish. It is elegant and refined. The Hipping, harvested at the higher-sugar Spätlese level is a boisterous, spicy dry white with a tart fruit flavor before its lengthy dry finish. Fascinating to taste together, they are also fine to serve with separate fare. We suggest the Paterberg with a simple fish dish, new potatoes and parsley; the Hipping wine with more aggressively spiced Thai or Sichuan cuisine. And we emphatically aver that both are incredibly delicious Riesling values.

Chenin Sparkles
Cremant de Loire ‘Platine’ (Louis de Grenelle)
Sale Price $17.99 – $194.30 of twelve
We still cannot believe that the whole world is not bonkers over Loire Valley Chenin Blanc, but then again it’s a great value and comes in many forms, so why complain? This month we have a Cremant de Loire from Louis de Grenelle that is totally dry, with lean, taut fruit and a long, zippy, clean finish. These are bubbles worth knowing.

Berlin via New Hampshire
Raspberry Berliner Weisse (White Birch Brewing)
Blueberry Berliner Weisse (White Birch Brewing)
Sale Price $5.99 per 22 oz.– $67.99 case of twelve
These fruit laden beers begin with White Birch Brewing’s sour German-style wheat ale, then are infused with Raspberries – or Blueberries. Each takes on the identity of the infused fruit, with the mellow sweet flavor mingling with the sour Lactobacillus. These are wonderfully pure, high summer offerings from Hooksett, New Hampshire.