[....or – “Give me another glass of that sweet burgundy.”]
The obscure musical references are by Tommy Bolin, circa 1976. Give it a listen on Amazon or iTunes. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Now on to the real subject of this post: Red wine, or specifically rosé. I know rosé is often associated with “colored” wine-in-a-box, or for those novices who are only familiar with candy-sweet alcohol concoctions -- but this one merits some attention.
First let me say that I was a fan of Pinot Noir long before the movie “Sideways.” I began my red wine career as a college student, buying the obligatory cask of Chianti for the bottle required for the dripping colored candles. Oh, so early 70’s.
My next discovery was Beaujolais and the dry, yet drinkable burgundy quality that comes with it. Inexpensive, yet not a bad table wine - quite respectable in some circles. (I'm partial to Louis Jadot.) Then came the Cabernet years when I was learning to like wine for it’s many nuances. (Gimme a break!) And then, after suffering through Merlot – wondering if my relationship would have to end on that sour note – I discovered Pinot.
The drink-ability of Beaujolais & the aroma and maturity of Cabernet, without the heavy spice of Merlot. Pinot Noir embodies the best of all worlds.
On the day of this purchase, I was looking for a standard Pinot and went to the appropriate section at Sendik’s. Scanning the shelves, with the higher priced selections at eye level, out of necessity my eyes began dropping to something under $10 and naturally, I was attracted to the cutesy label. I was going to dismiss it when I read the fine print: Pinot Rosé? What the hey! I had to try it.
Verdict: I dare you to find a better choice out there for under $10. (I actually paid $8.99 for this bottle.) It’s light texture may be it’s biggest flaw, the but the great nose and dry fruity flavor more than compensates. All this and a cute label. Bonus! By the way, it works perfectly with the Bruschetta!
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ABOUT THE PHOTO: "Eye of the Toad" Dry Pinot Noir Rosé 2005 - Toad Hollow Cellars, Sonoma County. Their motto: Good wine should be fun.
As you can see, the label on this wine catches the eye. Yet, as we all know, an attractive/interesting label has absolutely ZERO to do with the quality of wine inside the bottle. 
