2014 Domaine Saint Aix Rosé paired with grilled salmon

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? If so, you might want to check out the 2014 Domaine Saint Aix Rosé from the Provence region of France.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20
• Must be widely available

Maison Saint Aix, a 130-year-old winery, is situated in the south of France, just an hour northeast of Aix en Provence. Their Domaine Saint Aix Rosé is easy to find across the United States, especially this time of year. It is great as a sipper and gets even better with food. We especially enjoy pairing it with grilled salmon.

When the sun is shining and you’re looking for a refreshing beverage to enjoy on the deck or in the backyard, don’t forget to give rosé wine a shot and this 2014 Domaine Saint Aix Rosé is a great place to start.

2014 Domaine Saint Aix Rosé (Provence, France): 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 20% Cinsault. Pale salmon color. Very aromatic with strawberry, orange peel, and floral notes on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Well-balanced, food-friendly, and very refreshing.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $14.99; Available elsewhere, $14 to $20

The post A Wine for Tonight: 2014 Domaine Saint Aix Rosé appeared first on Wine Peeps.

All of the wines paired well with Mom’s (LaGayle) dinner of tomato basil soup, ensalada mixta, chicken tapenade, grilled garlic basil polenta cakes, roasted asparagus with balsamic browned butter, and topped off by orange sherbet with strawberries drizzled with simple syrup and ground black pepper for dessert.

The consensus favorite of the evening was the 2013 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. In the 1940′s, Nikola Nobilo emigrated from Croatia and planted some of the first commercial grapevines in New Zealand. He was one of the pioneers responsible for the worldwide popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

The other two wines in this tasting that deserve extra attention because of their high quality and excellent value are the 2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and the 2012 Efeste Feral Sauvignon Blanc from Washington State. These top three wines are outstanding and are great choices to enjoy on your deck on a warm evening or to complement lighter fare such as chicken or fish any time of the year.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2013 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, straw yellow. Beautiful nose with grapefruit and lime aromas. More grapefruit and lime as well as vegetal notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $8; Available elsewhere, $8 to $13

2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and fresh cut grass on the nose. More grapefruit, lime, and a touch of pineapple come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with racy acidity. Well-balanced and refreshing with an extremely long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $12; Available elsewhere, $10 to $14

2012 Efeste Feral Sauvignon Blanc (Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Gorgeous nose with lime, grapefruit, pear, and a touch of minerality. More citrus notes come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with tart acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, lingering finish. Very crisp and refreshing.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $20; Available elsewhere, $19 to $21

2013 Chateau Montet Bordeaux Blanc (Bordeaux, France): Pale, straw yellow. Nose is a bit tight at first, then pear and apple aromas come through. More pear, apple, and a touch of citrus come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $10

2012 Woodinville Wine Cellars Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with apple, pear, lime, and a touch of minerality on both the nose and palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $15; Available elsewhere, $15 to $17

2012 Gilles Blanchet Pouilly Fume (Loire, France): Pale, straw yellow. Moderately aromatic with apple notes on the nose. More apple as well as pear and a touch of flint comes through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $18

Wine Tasting Dinner: Sauvignon Blanc from Around the World was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

In 1979, G.H. Mumm set out to find an ideal winegrowing area in the United States. They picked Guy Devaux for the project. Devaux had more than 40 years experience crafting still and sparkling wines in France, South America, and the U.S. He was given one criterion from the Mumm family; find a terroir where he could create wine from traditional Champagne grapes using the method champenoise process. He chose the Napa Valley in California and established the Mumm Napa winery there in 1986. The Brut Prestige is their signature sparkling wine.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the NV G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut Champagne and the NV Mumm Napa Prestige Brut Sparkling Wine in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are very good and deliver serious bang for your buck.

NV G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut Champagne (Reims, Champagne, France): 45% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and 25% Pinot Meunier. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. Pale straw yellow. Beautiful nose with apple and floral aromas. More apple as well as pear comes through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $45; Available elsewhere, $37 to $49

NV Mumm Napa Prestige Brut Sparkling Wine (Napa Valley, California): 51% Pinot Noir, 46% Chardonnay, 2% Pinot Meunier, and 1% Pinot Gris. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. Pale straw yellow with a faint pink tinge. Aromatic with apple and citrus fruit on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $15 to $21

Mumm: Bubbly from France and Napa was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.