First Post of 2020 – How’s the Year going for You?

We wrote our last blog post on the cusp of 2020, praising the whites and rosés from the Basque region and considering a visit to this Northern Spain region. What a difference six months makes. We’re not traveling to any wine paradise, at least for the foreseeable future. Between Covid-19, the economy and the nightmare that is our government, VinoDuo has been driven to drink…lots and lots of wine. But nary a 2020 post. Until now.

Maybe it’s the warmer weather or the slight loosening of restrictions in Massachusetts, but we’re ready to jump back in. Let’s start slow and easy…what’s Lisa drinking in the whites and rosé department? While I don’t equate rosé with summer–it’s a must have throughout the year–shops make a big show of rosé wine from June -August, so there’s plenty to choose from.

Following are the wines queued up for the coming weeks.

White

• Bodegas Muga Blanco, Rioja 2018, Spain; crisp, dry and clean flavors; good acidity; great with grilled fish  $16.99
• Espiral, Vinho Verde, Portugal; if you’ve been drinking alone because of Covid, beware; you could drink this entire bottle in one sitting! But at just 9% alcohol, you could 🙂 Young, fresh, with a slight fizz. Ideal summer quaff. $4.99 at Trader Joe’s!
• Blanco Nieva, [Rueda Region], Verdejo 2017, Spain; if crisp and dry aren’t your cup of tea, try this Spanish white. Soft and plump, with hints of pear and melon. $20

Rosé

Innocence, First Crush Winery Cape Cod 2018; a perennial “must drink” in our summer wine rotation. An unusual combination of 88% Dry Riesling, 5% Sweet Riesling (4.5% RS), and 7% Sangiovese, this rosé sounds like it should be sweet, but it’s not. Everyone we serve it to loves it, including people who “don’t care for rosé.”  So just buy it and enjoy.  $20

Next up, Gary’s reds for the summer of Covid.  Cheers everyone!