Bonjour from Napa!
Pardon my French, but this week’s wine and recipe bring me straight back to Paris. I’ll never forget the summer that my graduate thesis advisor and I both happened to be doing research at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Since my stipend was quite meager, I was living largely off of breakfast cereal munched hastily in my hotel room. Hearing this one hot afternoon, she generously treated me to one of the loveliest meals I have ever enjoyed. In a small café a few blocks from the archive, we sipped rosé and nibbled the plat du jour: a gorgeous chèvre tart topped with olive oil and fresh herbs, with a spring salad on the side. I was so stuffed afterwards that I am sure my work suffered, but I was not going to let one bite of that tart go to waste. There hasn’t been anything quite like it since, but as soon as I took my first sip of our 2018 Essere Franco Rosé of Malbec, I was there again, happily devouring goat cheese in Paris with my advisor. That’s when I knew I had to find a recipe to match this luscious wine!
Our rosé is unique in part because it is purpose built. Whereas many wineries treat their rosé as a happy by-product of red-wine production, our winemaker sets aside some of our estate-grown Malbec specifically for this wine. Bolder and less acidic than many rosés of Pinot Noir that are now en vogue, this is a refreshing divergence from what has become the Napa norm. You could almost call it a summer red, and that is why it goes so well with a rich goat-cheese tart. The fats from the pastry crust and chèvre pull tannin off of the palate, leaving you free to revel in the fruit profiles of the wine – all mouthwatering strawberry and red currant. For those adventurous souls out there, try scattering ripe nectarine slices over the top of your tart and voilà – stone fruit notes in the rosé will surprise and delight you.
Since we are seeing things through rosé-colored glasses this season, for a limited time we are offering a Glasses of Rosé special: enjoy three bottles of our 2018 Essere Franco Rosé of Malbec for $99 (normally $45 each). Want to taste the rosé alongside some of our other show-stopping wines with the guidance of a pro? Check out our Virtual Tasting Packages and schedule a tasting with your favorite Essere personality by emailing info@esserefranco.com or calling us at 707-339-8019.
Also, don’t forget to join in the Wine Wednesday fun by submitting your recipe and Essere pairing to me at brianna@esserefranco.com today! All submissions will be entered to win a three-pack of our legendary Proprietary Red Wine, a $675 retail value! Today is the last day to enter, and I’ll be featuring the winner in next week’s Wine Wednesday post.
Cheers everyone and, of course, essere sani.
Recipe courtesy of Epicurious
Image courtesy of Woman & Home
Wine Country Lifestyle 