A Special Bottle

There are no standards of taste in wine...Each man's own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard. 

Mark Twain

I should start out by saying that I don't know anything about wine. Well I take that back, I've seen the movie Sideways at least a dozen times so I know just enough to be dangerous and not sound like a complete idiot. But please don't ask me to explain what a tannin is or you're likely to get my quizzical face and a hmmmmmm......well. I do know what I like and don't like though, illustrated by some of my extremely classy go-to phrases like.....

That's not bad......

or

Yummy.....

and my personal favorite

That tastes like an old shoe!

Despite my utter lack of wine knowledge I really do love it. I love the sound the cork makes when a bottle is being opened. I love the feel of the bottle in my hand. I love that it's often a shared experience that means something is being celebrated.

What are we celebrating? Well if you're having a glass by yourself it could mean that you're celebrating the fact that you've found a quite moment to think. If you're having a glass (bottle) with a girlfriend it could mean that you're catching up on each other's lives as time becomes harder and harder to find as you get older. If you're having a glass with someone special it could mean that you're celebrating your first official date. And if you're having a glass with a group of friends it could mean that you're celebrating good company and laughing till your cheeks hurt.

This past Saturday my neighbors Karen and Mark held their annual Rosé tasting and a good time was had by all. If you're like me and you need a bit of help picking the right bottle for a hot summer afternoon, here are a few suggestions from their wonderful sampling. Cheers!

• Château Montaud, Côtes de Provence 2012
• St. Louis, Coteaux Varois en Provence 2012
• Laurent Miquel Pre et Fils 2012
• Grange Phillippe Gipsy 2012
• Caves de l'Angevine, Rosé d'Anjou 2012
• Crios Malbec, Mendoza Argentine {My favorite!}