One of my favorite places to visit is Orlando, Florida. While I am partial to Disney there is so much to offer there! In a recent trip to Orlando a wonderful sommelier sat down with us to review an extensive wine list from his outdoor restaurant. After explaining we love dry red wine but the 90 degree temperatures were a bit much for us to handle with red wine, he quickly stood up and ran to the cellar to retrieve a great surprise.
Upon his return he had in his hands a blush wine! Imagine our surprise to see a blush wine which is usually synonymous with sweet wines. After convincing us to try a sample I was pleasantly surprised to find this wine overflowing with strawberry and raspberry flavors but without the overpowering sweetness I expected. This blush wine, served chilled, was a wonderful compliment to the hot Florida temperatures.
Now imagine my surprise when I learned that the wine I was drinking was a Pinot Noir. To give you all the details, it was a 2006 Kenwood Estates (Russian River Valley, California) Pinot Noir Rosé. After returning to Ohio I quickly started my search for this wine to make sure I could enjoy my red wines all summer. So far I have found it retailing for $14.99 at Miles Farmers Market in Solon, Ohio (look on the shelf with the other blush wines). If you have the chance, be sure to pick up a bottle of the 2006 Kenwood Estates Pinot Noir (not Rosé) to compare the two.
I know that the weather here isn’t conducive to sitting outside and enjoying a rose but in a couple of months I promise the weather will be perfect for this wine. In the meantime I would pick up a bottle or two to have on hand for the first nice day to be outside with a bonfire and the grill going.
If you get a chance to try this wine, let me know what you think, I hope you discover this makes an excellent find for the summer.
Amanda is the Co-Owner of Candlelight Winery located at 11325 Center Street, Garrettsville. For more information on some of these events or wine lists from the winery, please visit www.candlelightwinery.com or call 330.527.4118.
