Gruet Grand Rosé

Gruet Rose and sweet potato fries at Corkscrew Cafe. /Photo Michelle Locke
Gruet Rose and sweet potato fries at Corkscrew Cafe. /Photo Michelle Locke

It’s summer here in the San Francisco Bay area which means that I’m wearing, jeans, a shirt, a sweater, a jacket … and I’m still cold.

I’ve been assured by scholars at the University of California, Berkeley, that there’s no evidence Mark Twain actually said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco,” but whoever said it, brother, did he say a mouthful.

However, I had occasion to escape the clammy embraces of the San Francisco fog recently and popped down to Carmel to do a couple of interviews for a travel story. And while I was there it was sunny and warm, just like in regular America, in fact so balmy that I found myself at a delightful roadside cafe (Corkscrew Cafe, I highly recommend it) and in need of a cool, light, crisp and refreshing glass of bubbles.

I chose the Gruet 2007 Grand Rosé and was very pleased with it. Gruet is from New Mexico, which is not the first place you think of when you think of fine sparkling wines. It turns out the grapes are grown at high altitudes so even though they do get pretty toasty during the day, the nights are cool enough to give the grapes the big day-night temperature swings that they like.  The Gruet family is originally from France and the wine is made in the traditional (expensive) method so the price is not bargain basement, suggested retail of $32.99. However, it is extremely delicious. I’ve had sparklers that came at twice the price that didn’t taste as good. Gruet also has a range of non-vintage sparklers that are also made in the traditional method and are  a total bargain at around $15. I recommend you check them out.

Here’s the rundown.

Gruet 2007 Grand Rosé: Salmon-pink color with a pretty, floral aroma. The wine is 90 percent chardonnay, but the 10 percent pinot noir packs a big flavor punch, adding cherry, almonds and crisp apple to the mix. Suggested retail $32.99. Alcohol around 12 percent.

Cheers.