La Nuit en Rosé : Sip and Sail Surrounded by Rosé

La Nuit en Rosé brought their rosé wine cruise to New York City. The three day event was such a hit in the big apple that all of the cruises sold out.

I was invited to check out the sip and sail. What could be better than sailing around Manhattan surrounded by rosés? I tried so many great wines during the evening, but here are some that I selected to share with you:

Bleu de Mer-  A light and elegant rosé from the Sud du France region is made from cinsaut grapes. This elegant wine  can be used as an aperitif. It would pair well with grilled meats, salads, cheese, and fruit. Sipping on this rosé is a delight. $18

White Girl Rosé- When I heard about White Girl Rosé I had to laugh at the concept. It gets its name due to the fact that last year in the Hamptons where was a rosé shortage. Apparently white girls were beside themselves not knowing what to do since they could not find the wine. I didn't have any expectations for this wine, but have to admit that it’s pretty good. It's the kind of wine that you get a few bottles of and have for brunch with your girlfriends. $20

Bridge Lane Rosé- Is wine in a box really good? You betcha! This was on the best rosés that I tried during the evening. If you turn your nose up to wine in a box, especially this one, you are missing it. Not only do you get more wine when you purchase it in a box, but it last longer due to packaging. Talk about a double bonus. The aromas in this wine are a bit of strawberry, peach, and  floral If you are too snooty for wine in a box, you can also get it in a bottle. $40 a box ( equals 4 bottles)  $16 for a bottle

Ouled Thaleb Moroccan Rosé- I was on the look out for this winery. Ouled Thaleb is the largest wine producer in the Arab world. The bottle is beautiful and the fact that it is made in Morocco makes it sound so sensual. It did not disappoint. I would say this rosé is for the grown and sexy. Sip on it when you want to have an elegant evening. $16

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé- This champagne is everything. Aged for three years in a cellar, this sparkler  has red fruit aromas with notes of blueberry, plums, blackcurrant, and raspberry. It can be paired with so many things like salmon, chicken, pork , truffle fries, or cheese. The pefect rosé to have for celebrating or just because you deserve it. $59

Vie Vite Rosé -This rosé turns up in all the swanky places, The presentation for the wine invites you to taste it. Vie Vite will not remind you of other roses from Provence due to the mix of grape varietals. The aromas are quite lovely with cherries, strawberries, and spices. This is a good one when you are entertaining and would like to enchant your guests. $23

AIX Rosé - A pale pink wine is produced by one of the larger in estates in AOP Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence. Their goal is to produce the best rosé  in the world.  I would say that they are doing a pretty good job of reaching their goal. With aromas of red berries, mandarin orange, fig, and spices, it brings pleasure to the palette. $20

Next time you are looking for a good rosé try one of these selections. Enjoy and sip on. Sante!

Rosé, Ceviche and a Rooftop

Looking for a way to meet new people in New York City? Pull up a chair for the Yellowchair experience.

Yellowchair is a private social network that connects like- minded individuals who share a passion for food and conversation. The network creates experiences that include curated dinners, tastings and private events. Founded by Corey Sandlofer and Dana Goldstein, they host about two to three events a month.

I recently attended their Rosé, Ceviche and a Rooftop event at Up On 20. We kicked the night off with a glass of sparkling rosé and socializing. The view from Up On 20 at the Hyatt is sexy and chic, just like we like it in New York City. It’s a new hidden gem in midtown (side note: it is a great place for a date). The weather also happened to be perfect that night.

Once we got settled and schmoozed up, a tasting of rose sangrias began. Before each sangria we learned a bit about the winemakers and checked out the bottles. This is always my favorite part of a tasting, because winemakers are creating such unique wine from the varietals to the labels.

The first selection was a sangria made with SAVED Rosé. The wine is a collaboration between the artist, Scott Campbell and the winemaker, Clay Brock. It comes in a beautiful bottle designed by Campbell and is a blend of seven varietals. Brock made a small batch of the wine, so there were only a few hundred cases made.

Next we had a sangria made with the A-List Rose. A lovely wine from Australia, it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz from Margaret River. The notes include raspberries and strawberries which make it a perfect choice for a rosé based sangria.

After the wine tasting, the chef made a guest appearance to show us how to make ceviche. I opted for a spicy cod versus shrimp and it was delicious! In fact everything about the evening was delicious. It's what I would call a perfect evening in the city.

Yellowchair is an exclusive dining experience with an inclusive attitude. The club lives up to it’s tagline, “dinner with NEW friends". Whether you are a New Yorker or visiting the Big Apple, Yellowchair will feed you with a full blown sensory experience. See you there!

Sip While Sailing: La Nuit En Rosé Is Coming To New York

Are you a fan of rosé wine? The ultimate rose experience is coming to back to New York with La Nuit en Rosé. Last year around 2,000 wine lovers attended the event, will you be coming this year?

What’s better than sipping rosé wine and champagne while eating aphrodisiacs on a yacht sailing down the Hudson River at sunset? There will be rosés from all over the world --- plus culinary spreads from the likes of Geoffrey Zakarian, STK, Fig & Olive, and other top chefs as well as an oyster bar and a truffle bar, rounded out by cheese from Artisanal. Can you say foodgasm?!

There will be an international lineup of wineries such as Château D'Esclans, Vie Vité, Château Coussin, Château La Gordonne, Champagne Nicolas Feuillate, Ferrari, Gérard Bertrand, Domaine Montrose, Wines of Greece, Wines of Navarra, Sud de France Wines, Tavel, Loire Valley Wines, Bordeaux Rosé and more that you will get to experience on the cruise.

“Rosé is more than just a wine category, it is a way of life and that’s what unique about rosé,” says Pierrick Bouquet, president of ABLE and co-creator of La Nuit en Rosé. “Rosé has made itself inseparable from a summer gathering, a pool party or a barbecue. Close your eyes and sip rosé, you’re immediately transported into a summer paradise. Drinking rosé is the epitome of chic! ”

La Nuit en Rosé New York will offer a variety of ways to celebrate from June 25th- June 27th. Get your ticket before it sells out. Each La Nuit en Rosé event will feature up to 100 wines, themed food stations, a pink cocktail bar, indoor and outdoor lounge areas, a photo booth and entertainment activities including dancing and more. 

Three Wines I Give A Thumbs Up

Last weekend I went to a luxurious food and wine reteat in Vermont at Good Commons. I am so grateful to my friend who gave me her spot at the retreat at the last minute because she could not attend. I have been to a few retreats there before. It's such a wonderful place to place to go relax and the people that I have met there just divine.

All the meals at the retreat were made by chefs and a sommelier selected the wines for our wine dinner. I fell in love with three of the wines that I wanted to tell you about:

RivaRose Brut- This sparkling rosé was a hit at our wine dinner and my favorite selection at the retreat! This rosé from Provence has aromas of  fruits, berries and touch of spice.  Pairs wonderfully with a lot of different foods from cheese, chicken, to burgers.  It's one of those sparkling wines that you will want for an evening at home or to take to a soiree. If you want a full sensory experience with it, sip on it while burning  ylang ylang or vanilla. This sparkler will run you around $15 or a little under. It's so going on my top rosés for the summer list.

 

M.A.N. Pinotage-  This wine was served at our wine dinner during the fourth course. Three friends started this winery and used the initials of their wives which happen to spell MAN. South Africa is known for pinotage, sounds like pinot noir but tastes more like shiraz. The grapes in this wine are a cross between cinsaut and pinot noir grapes. To get your senses moving and grooving, sip on this and have some bergemot oil burning in the background. The M.A.N Pinotage will run you around $8 and under. How fabulous is that?

From the winemaker:

We like to focus on the juicier, softer side of Pinotage by carefully managing the fermenting wine.  We are able to emphasise the soft mouthfeel, perfume and expressive fruit of Pinotage. Just a touch of oak maturation means the result is delicate and pretty, with beautiful red berry flavours, a hint of cinnamon and very gentle tannins.

Cooper Hill Pinot Gris- This wine was a favorite during our wine and cheese hour. It's light, crisp, and goes great with cheese. It would be killer paired with some roasted chicken. The Cooper Mountain Vineyards uses classic methods to produce their gris. The aromas in this one are quite delicious, a bit of floral and citrus. Sure to be a crowd pleaser at any event.  Put this one on your list of summer wines or if you want to have an affordable wine at an event or wedding. The cost for this one goes for about $22.00.