A Gorgeous Brut Rosé Prosecco

Lunch at Preludio in Cortona, Italy

I'm the last guy you want to consult for advice on sparkling wine.

Unless you're like me and gravitate towards bold, fruit forward new world reds with underlying acidity and luscious appeal. And you're looking to change things up a bit this summer while the temperatures are high.

Last summer while visiting Tuscany we stopped in at Ristorante Preludio in Cortona for lunch. The restaurant was listed in the Gambero Rosso according to information provided by the villa where we were staying (review). But other than us, the place was empty from the beginning of our meal through the end.

Complimentary quail egg amuse-bouche 

The meal was amazing. So much for the theory that you should select crowded restaurants as part of a follow the herd mentality.

The meal started off with a complimentary pour of a delicious sparkling rosé. In my experience I've found that yes - starting off with bubbles is a great way to set the stage for an enjoyable evening. But some dry sparkling wines are too yeasty and hard to enjoy. I find that sparkling rosé is a perfect crowd-pleasing alteration.

I snapped a picture of the bottle, hoping to track some down back home. I've looked around at a few wine shops but haven't seen it. Wouldn't you know, Wine.com carries it? And it's not too expensive - $16.99 here in MA (Wine.com's prices and availability vary by state) before $30 off $100. For less than $12/btl fully loaded this is a spectacular wine.

I ordered a bottle recently and enjoyed it here at home nearly as much as I did at Preludio. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't under the ether of Italy when assessing it initially. It's a fabulous, totally elegant way to start the evening. Crisp and fruity. Delicate but full of flavor. Highly recommended.

Jeio Prosecco Brut Rose

I wish we could have stayed longer and enjoyed our meal in a more relaxing manner, but we were off to Tenuta Sette Ponti and had to hustle. But don't you worry, Cortona, I'll be back. And I may spend a night or three.

To buy this on Wine.com through my affiliate link:
Bisol Jeio Prosecco Brut Rose

Without an affiliate link:
http://www.wine.com/v6/Bisol-Jeio-Prosecco-Brut-Rose/wine/107177/Detail.aspx

Follow the tips in this post to get $30 of $100 at Wine.com.

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Five Recommended Spanish Rosés

Bodegas del Rosario Monastrell vineyards in Bullas

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With the 4th of July holiday coming up I wanted to share picks for some of the better rosado wines I tried while in Yecla, Jumilla and Bullas. In case you missed it, these are from a trip I took to Spain last week. Read more about the trip here.

These wines are mostly Monastrell driven and usually present themselves in light shade of magenta. On average their flavors are more intense than what you'd find in say a Provençal rosé like this one. Alcohol levels ranged from 12.5% to 14.5%.

Most of these area available in the US - click the Wine-Searcher links to search for them at a nearby retailer. Prices listed are the average price where I saw strong availability at retailers according to Wine-Searcher.

2012 Castaño Rosado ~$9.99

Produced by Bodegas Castaño. Smells and tastes like fresh strawberries and watermelon candy but it never gets overly sweet. Medium acidity. Very satisfying and so easy to drink. No off notes. From the Yecla DO.

I'm pretty sure I've seent his one around in Massachusetts but the best availability seems to be at Total Wine stores. Find it on Wine-Searcher

Hard to complain about anything with this one.

2012 Las Reñas Rosado ~$5.99

Produced by Bodegas del Rosario in the Bullas DO. Light magenta in the glass and so refreshing. The flavor profile is very satisfyingly intense and it's 14.5% alcohol but doesn't taste hot at all. 100% Monastrell. Hit the spot after some time in the warm vineyards. Poured by the glass as the house rosé at a restaurant we'd dine at later that evening and a terrific value. A Las Reñas white and red are available at Wegman's in the US for $5.99. Expect a rosé to follow in the future.

They also make a Liquid Geography Rosado with more widespread availability for around $8.99. Find it on Wine-Searcher

Look for an upcoming vintage of this at Wegman's for $5.99

2012 Bodegas Olivares Rosado ~$8.99

From Bodegas Olivares in Jumilla. Nice fruity nose and flavors. Medium-high acidity - would be great with food. Find it on Wine-Searcher

Solid. A crowd pleaser.

2012 Bodegas la Purisima Rosado

Bodegas la Purisima is a cooperative in Yecla that's just bringing their wines to the US. Their rosado has an inviting nose of plush strawberries with leafy briar patch notes in the background Very clean and dry. 12.5% alcohol.

Not quite available in the US, but soon!

Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite Spanish rosés?

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