That Which We Call A Walla Walla Rosé...

One of my favorite places to visit is not too far from my house, in fact it's the deck from my living room. It’s a quiet place where I can sit on one of two rocking chairs I purchased during a visit in Tennessee. These oak chairs, with woven seats and backs, were handcrafted by a Tennessee family that's been making rocking chairs for 150 years. Between the two chairs is an old Hungarian oak wine barrel. On the head of the barrel, I have placed a large round glass table top. It makes the perfect table for my evening glass of wine and my morning cup of coffee. On the deck is an assortment of clay and ancient cement pots filled with summer annuals. There's a bird house hanging, that has actually housed some birds and a delicate sounding wind chime. But the best part is below the deck. It's framed with an assortment of rose bushes. This time of the year the fragrance from the roses waft up to the deck and it makes for a relaxing setting away from phones and computers.

Gertrude Stein said, "A rose is a rose is a rose." But when I think of my rose garden, I can’t help from thinking about rosés - - the wonderful summer sip that fills a glass in pastel shades of pink, red, peach or even lavender. Rosé, rosado, or rosato are fragrant and delicate wines made for the red wine lover who wants a taste of the red grape, but looking for the light crispness of a white wine - - making it a perfect summer sipper.

Two perfect summer sippers are those rosés from Trio Vintners and Trust Cellars. Tres Rosé is the second release of rosé from Trio Vintners and is made using the saignee method. The juice is free run from their Boushey Vineyard Sangiovese, including 50% Mouvedre from the Den Hoed Vineyards and then co-fermented in stainless leaving about 2% residual sugar. The nose of this dark rosé reminds me of grandma’s kitchen when she baked summer cherry, berry and rhubarb pies. Dominant flavor of pomegranates with a hint of cinnamon makes this a wine to be enjoyed while watching a Walla Walla sunset and especially with backyard entertaining. A spicy pairing with bbq ribs or if you can resist from opening it before Thanksgiving, a bottle must be saved for the turkey.

Cabernet Franc is one of my favorites and I especially "s_w_o_o_n" when I find a rosé produced with that peppery grape. And such a rosé is from Trust Cellars. Cabernet Franc was especially picked just for this rosé and produced using the traditional rosé pressing method and fermented dry. This isn’t a "sissy" wine, so don’t let the delicate shade of this pink nectar fool you. The wine is full and round with flavors of fresh picked cherries and apples, which continues on to a finish of cinnamon and allspice. Again, another great summer sipper to relax with on a cool Walla Walla evening, like I do on my deck. It pairs well with fresh picked salads like spinach and strawberry salad with a poppy seed dressing or something spicy like Cajun style catfish.

English playwright and politician, Richard B. Sheridan said, "Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you."

I say, "Won’t you come into the Walla Walla Wine Woman garden? I would like these rosés to see you."