As Cholly heads out with Alaya and Eamon to visit family for their spring break, he left us with a couple great recommendations for spring time sips. Not to alienate the beer or wine drinkers, he is sharing one of each. Cheers!
New Belgium Spring Blonde Belgian Style Ale
Light copper-colored with a tall, white head, the Spring Blonde has a nose of lemon peel, fresh baked bread (my favorite aroma), black pepper, cloves and a hint of apple and pear. The taste of this medium-bodied ale starts with a bit of malty sweetness that transitions into a dry, lightly bitter finish. It is a light and refreshing, but still slightly malty brew perfect for the changing season that is spring.
2013 Arnot-Roberts, Touriga Nacional Rosé, Luchsinger Vineyard, CA
Named Winemaker of the Year for 2012 by the San Francisco Chronicle, Arnot-Roberts (pronounced AR-NOT; it’s Scottish, not French) has made a delicious rosé from the Touriga Nacional grape, indigenous to Portugal’s Douro Valley. With a nose of strawberry, watermelon and rose water that immediately captivates you and a taste that matches with bright, under-ripe berry tartness, herbal spiciness, and a long finish, this medium-bodied wine is not a sweet rosé – the Arnot-Roberts shines more like a Provencal-style wine with intense complexity and vivid acidity for a mouth-watering, refreshing and thirst quenching quaff that one could enjoy on a warm day on the patio or porch.
The best part is that both of these selections pair well with the same foods enabling you to serve them both at the same cookout or dinner party. They are lovely with steamed mussels, grilled lobster tail, salmon and even some lightly gamy meats such as venison and wild boar, even slightly spicy dishes match well with these refreshing choices.