Possibilities, Aspirations and a Sense of Place

Two of my dear friends are 'moving' today. One is 'literally' moving to a new home. It's been in the works for some months now. His reasons were simple. Time for a refresh, to see the same town from a new angle, to seek a new sense of place. My other friend is moving more 'figuratively' to a new professional role. Her reasons? A much needed chance to write a new chapter, adjust the story, a time to stretch and grow and refresh, to come at 'work' from a new angle, to seek a new sense of place. 

One of the particular wonders and romance of wine, to me, is this idea of 'terroir'-- the idea that the wine can uniquely reflect a sense of place.

Do you remember Peter Mayle? I will admit to having been completely captivated by his best selling book, A Year In Provence, a breezy travelogue describing the actual undertaking of "chucking it all' and packing off to the South of France. 

To me, drinking a lovely dry rose is aspirational, it's about possibilities and the romance of shedding the gray and finding the sun. 

So, today, I want to share a dry Rose grown in the Southern Rhone region of France, that speaks to me of the idea of possibilities, aspirations, and a sense of place. 

Domaine La Manarine encompasses vineyards that are situated on what is known as the "Le Plan de Dieu." For generations this specific terroir has been recognized as unique -- the underlying soil consists of more than 60% hard limestone 'galets' (large pebbles). 

Domaine La Manarine Cotes du Rhone Rose 2013 is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah. A sunny Mediterranean climate with Mistral winds provides hot, dry weather for the growing season.

This wine is absolutely lovely both to look at and to sip! There is raspberry and strawberry on the nose as well as white pepper. It is dry with crisp acidity, tart red berry fruit and a really refreshing minerality and wet stone on the finish. This wine would be delicious paired with fruit, cold salad, a picnic lunch of sandwiches, or charcuterie. 

To me, this wine is all about shedding the old, finding the new. It tastes of possibilities and aspirations. It is 'sense of place' in a glass. See if you can find this wine in your area. The wine retails for $13-$17 a bottle. I found this wine at CoolVines in Westfield, New Jersey.

So, as I sip, I toast to my two dear friends for casting off, moving on, seeking the new angle. I am turning my face to the sun with you both. Here's to a finding new sense of place.

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