Rosé Anytime of The Year

This Wine & Dine Wednesday post is not directly about the above Domaine Tempier Bandol, as I have written many times of my deep love of it. But those sublime bottles are a reminder to keep rosé in your line-up year round if you are a wine enthusiast. Not only is it a burst of sunshine in a chilly month if you live in a cold climate, but it works so beautifully with many foods. I am sure I have told this story before, but it always makes me smile when I think about it as it was the first time I had ever tried rosé. It was at least 25 years ago and I was having a business dinner with one of my favorite importers, who owned a company I represented when I had my wholesale division of Watson Kennedy and had my showroom in Georgetown. We were dining at Campagne, who ended up being my neighbor at the Market shop at 86 Pine Street. Oh how I miss Campagne! We are still major fans of Cafe Campagne and get take-out from there often. Jacque had grown up in Marseille. After perusing the fine menu he suggested we have a bottle of rosé with our meal. There were only about three rosé options at the time as it was still catching on in the States. The above bottle was his choice. Nothing like starting with the best! He insisted it be kept on ice, so they brought a bucket to the table. He told me his mother drank it year round, always with an ice cube, as she liked it really cold. I knew I would have liked this woman instantly. It was the beginning of love affair with a wine and a vintner. Domaine Tempier also makes a variety of reds that are sublime and among some of my favorite reds. So if lobster or crab or shrimp are on your menu this season or even roast chicken, think of a rosé to accompany the meal. You will be very happy.