VUE

Some of my favorite wines are light and vibrant to match the season. While the occasional steak on the grill might call for a full-bodied red, the cuisine I enjoy most during the summer months leans towards fresh and seasonal ingredients. Rosé is an obvious choice with its lovely salmon pink hue. Good rosé embodies the freshness of white wine along with a tinge of subtle tannins from its red grape origins. While there are hundreds to choose from, I find newcomers oen fall short and instead, I lean towards the classics. No place does rosé like the south of France, and more precisely, Bandol. Located a few miles from the Mediterranean Sea, the typical blend of red Rhône varieties gets shaken up with the addition of Mourvedre, a difficult grape to grow and vinify that thrives in the region's sunny climate. Terrebrune estate, with its brown clay, blue limestone bedrock, and marl soils, takes the lead role in producing rosé wine that rises to an entirely new level. Terrebrune's Rosé is a blend of 50% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, and 25% Cinsault. While most rosé wines peak in their first twelve months or sooner, it is oen even better one or two years aer release. It has a bit more structure and intensity; I serve it with grilled fish and summer vegetables, or all on its own on a warm summer's eve. Domaine Terrebrune Bandol Rosé 2022, around $39 per bottle. White is my other go-to wine category for summer, but with a slant towards crisp, clean, mineral wines rather than Chardonnay based wines. Sancerre and Sauvignon Blanc based wines are huge hits, as well as a Chablis from the northern region of Burgundy. One of my favorites is Pouilly Fumé from Domaine Dezat, located just across the Loire River from Sancerre. Sancerre's popularity has driven prices up, yet somehow, Pouilly Fumé seems to have stayed under the radar. Cool and dry with lovely acidity, Dezat's 2021 offers citrus hints from start to finish. It's crowd pleasing and extremely food friendly. Domain Dezat Pouilly Fume 2021, $30 per bottle. As for reds, I had great fun putting together a tasting menu of light-to-medium-bodied reds. While stalwarts like Beaujolais and Cru Beaujolais fit the bill, wines from lesser- known grape varieties and regions provide a wealth of reds to explore. One standout, Grosjean Premetta Valle d'Aosta 2022 (about $35), is from vineyards high in the Valle d'Aosta of northern Italy. Here, the alpine climate, glacial soils, and indigenous grape varieties combine to produce medium-bodied summer reds that are abundant with hints of cherry. Grosjean's Premetta is a perfect summer red, made from 90% Premetta and 10% Cornalin. Aged in steel tanks, it yields a dry wine that is light in color and body, but which houses subtle tannins and elegant depth. Premetta is extremely limited in production and runs about $35 per bottle while it lasts. Cheers! Chris Cree MW Cree Wine Company Wine Bar and Kitchen - Wine & Spirits to Go CHRIS CREE MY FAVORITE THINGS FOR A SPLENDID SUMMER CREE WINE COMPANY Master of Wine Christopher Cree is the founder and managing partner of the Cree Wine Company, a wine bar and kitchen, wine school, event space, and online wine seller located in the historic Perryville Inn in Hampton, NJ. In 1996, he became only the thirteenth American to have passed the Master of Wine Examination since it was first given in London in 1953. Today, there are 418 active Masters of Wine worldwide, with only 56 working in the United States. Domaine Terrebrune Bandol Rosé 2022, $39 Domain Dezat Pouilly Fume 2021, $30 Grosjean Premetta Valle d'Aosta 2022, $35

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