Rob's "Wine of the Week" Archives
So here is my wine review for the week of March 3rd...
PEJU PROVENCE
Description: My current fascination with the new, reborn art of rose/blush wine continues with this week’s review. Peju is one of two “Highway 29” wineries as you enter Napa that I have always had a rager against. Peju and V. Sattui are both wineries that I find to be absurdly bad, but well positioned along Napa’s premiere highway, thus attracting huge crowds of wine idiots who like picnic tables more than well made wine. The Provence wine is a fairly new blend from Peju, combining red and white grapes to create a fruity, light red wine blend meant to be served slightly chilled. The blend, according to Peju’s website, is currently as follows: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel (30/16/8) with Chardonnay and French Colombard.
How and when I drank it:Tuesday afternoon, February 27, 2008 at Paul Martin’s American Bistro in Roseville, California where they serve it by the glass for $11.
How to get it: I have looked at many grocery stores lately and still find only putrid and fake Rose (pronounced Rose-ay) wines, like the always disgusting Beringer White Zin and varieties of white merlot as well. These are NOT roses, they are sugared wine juice and you might as well drink kool-aid. Rose wines, as they are now being produced are much more complex, but still approachable. Yet, currently high quality attempts at Rose must be purchased either at restaurants or through wine merchants, Bevmo, Total wine, on-line and at the actual wineries.
How Much:It’s about $22 per bottle at the winery.
My Thoughts:I was not impressed with my first sip, as the flavor bordered on grape/prune juice. However, 5 minutes later and throughout the rest of the glass, the flavors expanded and offered what amounted to a very refreshing, cool light red wine dominated by flavors of strawberry. I ordered a second glass and found it to be identical to the first (post first taste) leading me to believe that they had opened a fresh bottle for my first glass and the wine simply needed some brief time to “open up.”
Overall Score:My current obsession actually began a year ago at a friend’s house in Livermore, CA where she whipped out a bottle of Rose that blew me away (after, of course I had ridiculed her to no end for even having such a varietal). She and I have been playing phone tag since then so that I can find out the name of that wine! I am finding that the current Roses I am trying have a two-glass maximum before I get tired of them. Too much sugar, too much sweet fruit and not enough oxygen and variety. This Peju is a nice wine, but also has the same effect after two glasses, I didn’t need or want a third. At $22, it’s a somewhat pricey Rose, although it is refreshing and well balanced, therefore it gets 3 vines.
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