FYI, Mother’s Day is this Sunday. You might be like many these days that have lost track of the day, much less the date, so if you are in need of something special to show mom you care, I am here to help. Of course, you can send your mom some flowers this Mother’s Day to show her you love her. But, let’s face it, in the times of quarantine and a celebration of day drinking, give her what she really wants, wine. Spring is here, and nothing speaks more to the season than sipping Rosé wines on sunshine-filled afternoons.

From every region in the world, produced from a plethora of varieties, dry Rosé wines have quickly become the go-to, “it” drink, though not all Rosé is the same. From those with the palest hint of pink color to dark, cranberry-colored gastronomic offerings, sparkling to still, here are some favorites that are sure to please mom. Today we’ll start with sparklers; tomorrow I will have a full list of still wine options. #Cheers

I adore Rosé bubbles, particularly those made in the traditional method, or Methode Champanoise, as they do in Champagne, as the extended aging of the wine on the yeasts in the bottle gives a creamy, nutty character to the wine, melding harmoniously with layers of ripe berry and stone fruit.

From Napa Valley, the home of Frank Family Vineyards today is in one of the leading Napa Valley sparkling wine producers of its time, the old Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars. Started by Hanns Kornell, a survivor of the Dachau concentration camp during World War II, Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars began in 1958, bringing traditional method sparkling wine production to California for the first time. When Rich and Leslie Frank began their Frank Family Vineyards in the early 1990s, they searched for the ideal home to house the winery, falling in love with the property and its history. Though focused primarily on the production of still wines, they wanted to pay homage to the work Kornell poured his heart into in the region, thus crafting a small amount of classic method sparkling wines. Frank Family Brut Rosé ($55) is aged three years en triage, on the yeasts, adding a creamy element to the vibrant, fruit-forward sparkler that layers orange blossom, strawberry, and red apple.

 

 

Domaine Carneros has been proving the quality of Carneros Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit for crafting elegant, expressive, sustainably grown sparkling wines for over thirty years, led by the incomparable Eileen Crane. The Doyenne of sparkling wine in Napa Valley, Eileen recently announced she would be retiring after harvest 2020, leaving a team that she has worked with and trained, to follow in her footsteps, including winemaker Zak Miller. As we celebrate great women and mom’s this holiday, I raise my glass to Eileen and thank her for her influence, her talent, and her passion. To toast, Domaine Carneros’ ultra-premium, tiny production offering, Le Reve Brut Rosé ($140). Crafted from the best blocks of estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit, the luxurious wine melds toasty brioche and marzipan with raspberry, cherry, and wild strawberry, with gorgeous texture, length, and structure.

With a non-traditional blend of Pinot Noir and Malbec, Alma Negra crafts a zesty, lively sparkler with their Brut Nature Rosé ($20). Highlighting the quality of fruit that can be grown at extreme elevations in the foothills of the Andes Mountains of Mendoza, Argentina, the traditional method wine melds ripe apple, lime blossom, cranberry, and juicy cherry.

Blending Grenache, Cinsault, and Pinot Noir, Famille Perrin La Vielle Ferme Sparkling Brut Rosé Reserve ($20) from the Rhone Valley reveals a sharp, crisp, effervescent character with a well-rounded, yet soft palate, ideal as an aperitif layering red berry notes with subtle floral lilac, lavender, and violet notes.

With a hint of sweetness, Mionetto Rosé Spumante Extra Dry ($15) brings an aromatic, fruit-forward character to the forefront, Very fresh and full, with raspberry, pomegranate, wild strawberry, and red cherry. Bonus, the bubbly is available in both 750ml bottles, as well as personalized 187ml bottles, perfect to sip together while practicing safe social distancing.

#staysafestayhome and tell your mother you love her.