Wine of the Week: 2012 La Fenêtre A Côté Rosé Santa Barbara County
Except for the color, a deep rose, the 2012 A Côté Rosé is reminiscent of a Bandol rosé. Perfumed with strawberries and rose petals, this year it’s 100% Pinot Noir (previous bottlings have been a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot) and one of the best rosés I’ve tasted out of California. It has a wonderful delicacy, crisp acidity and long smooth finish. A Côté — “next door” — is the second label of La Fenêtre Wines, founded in 2005 by sommelier Joshua Klapper. For this wine, he sources the grapes from vineyards in Santa Barbara County. And at $15 or less, it’s well priced for summer drinking. Keep a bottle on hand in the fridge.
Drink it as an apéritif with bowls of olives and toasted almonds, or with little toasts spread with olive tapenade. It’s also a great match with grilled salmon, salade Niçoise, stuffed zucchini blossoms or shredded chicken tacos. Anything light and savory.
Region: Santa Barbara County
Price: $12 to $15
Style: Elegant and crisp
What it goes with: Grilled salmon, salads, light pastas, tacos
Where to find it: BestWinesOnline, (888) 817-8880, https://www.bestwinesonline.com; Everson Royce in Pasadena, (626) 765-9334, https://www.eversonroyce.com; Silver Lake Wine in Los Angeles, (323) 662-9024, https://www.silverlakewine.com; the Twisted Vine in Fullerton, (714) 871-1200, https://www.twistedvinewines.com; Wally’s Wine & Spirits in West Los Angeles, (310) 475-0606, https://www.wallywine.com; and Wine Lab @ The Camp in Costa Mesa, (714) 850-1780, https://www.winelabcamp.com.
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