Has Your Spring Sprung? Time for Rosé

My family on the east coast tells me its in the upper 80s. Here in LA, it's in the low 80s. Spring, apparently, sprung.

Seasonably speaking, it's time to find the grill and get some rosé in the house. At this point in the year, chances are you can still find a lot of last year's rosé on the shelf. As long as the wine store has been storing them properly, that's not a problem. So head over to your favorite wine retailer and pick up a pink wine to enjoy this weekend.

One that you might be able to put your hands on is the 2008 Château Viranel Saint-Chinian (suggested retail $13; available for $10) Made from Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault, this wine epitomizes the sunny, Mediterranean feeling that I want from my rosés. It is true salmon in color, and has aromas of rose petals and raspberries. These elements are echoed in the palate, and there are nice stone notes in the aftertaste. Dry, refreshing, and perfect for charcuterie, salads, grilled sausages or just plain sipping on the patio, this wine has very good QPR--and excellent QPR if you can pick it up on sale for around $10.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

GWU$20 Named Best Wine Blog by Saveur

Yesterday, I received news that Good Wine Under $20 had been voted Best Wine Blog of 2010 by the readers of Sauveur Magazine and its online site.

This was the first year Saveur ran the contest, and it is an honor to be chosen in this category. I'm a regular reader of Saveur, which makes this all the more sweet.

Here's a list of all the winners. If you haven't checked them out, you should do so. My congratulations to all those who were nominated.

BEST BAKING AND DESSERTS BLOG
David Lebovitz

BEST WINE BLOG
Good Wine Under $20

BEST FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
Smitten Kitchen

BEST REGIONAL CUISINE
Homesick Texan

BEST SPECIAL INTEREST BLOG
La Tartine Gourmande

BEST CULINARY TRAVEL
Cafe Fernando

BEST INDIVIDUAL POST
Smitten Kitchen

MOST INNOVATIVE VIDEO CONTENT
Food Wishes

BEST KITCHEN TOOLS AND HARDWARE COVERAGE
Apartment Therapy: The Kitchn

Finding Value in Napa Valley Cabernet

"Napa Valley," "value," and "Cabernet Sauvignon" are not often found in the same blog post title, nor are they often found in the same sentence. Now, the same people who are bringing you good, affordable Pinot Noir are bringing you classy, wallet-friendly Cabernet Sauvignon, too.

If you are looking for a great value in a Napa Valley Cab, look no further than the excellent QPR 2007 Hayman & Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Selection (suggested retail $14.99; available for $9-$16) When you uncork it, expect to detect blackberry and fresh ground coffee aromas. Your first sips will yield a nice currant and blackberry fruit core, accompanied by elegant, well-integrated tannins. The aftertaste is smooth and lingers in the mouth, turning spicy. Though this wine is perfectly lovely know, it should continue to improve over the next few years, so you may want to put some aside not only for this summer's barbeques but next winter's stews and roasts, too.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample