foundingAUSTIN is pleased to introduce Denise Clarke, our “resident expert on all things wine.” She will be contributing to the magazine and educating us in her column, Wine Down Wednesdays, beginning in May.
Denise Clarke is an avid wine enthusiast who loves sharing and teaching people about wine. She is a Certified Wine Educator from the Society of Wine Educators, Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers, French Wine Scholar, and holds an advanced certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. Owner of Denise Clarke PR, she currently represents Texas Fine Wine and the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Wine Marketing Program. She has lived in Austin for more than 30 years. When she’s not swirling and sipping, she can be found on her bike, climbing every hill she can find.
Follow Denise on IG at @deniseclarkeTX for more wine recommendations.
A Mother’s Day Toast for all Budgets
There’s no better way to kick off a Wine Down Wednesday column than to feature rosé wines. Rosé wines one of the fastest-growing wine categories among consumers and the perfect wine for Mother’s Day. Rosé wines are popular because they offer great flavor and food versatility and are low in alcohol and reasonably priced.
When it comes to rosé for this mom, pink bubbles are my go-to. Whether a refreshing sipper to enjoy by the pool or to pair with some of the most delicious and beautiful cheese and charcuterie boards from Austin’s Casero, rosé bubbles are a summer staple.
Some of my favorite regions for pink bubbly include France (Champagne and Loire Valley), Italy (Franciacorta), Spain (Txakoli), Australia (Tasmania), California, and Texas, of course!
Here are some of my favorite pink bubbles for your Mother’s Day celebration.
Bending Branch Winery 2021 Tannat Frizzante – Refreshing bubbles of Tannat, with notes of strawberry, white peach and pear from this boutique winery in Comfort, Texas. $25
Jansz Sparkling Rosé – There’s something fun about gifting or getting a bottle of bubbly from Tasmania, an island state south of Australia. A pretty wine of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with aromas of wild strawberries and notes of strawberry and mandarin orange on the palate. $30
Pedernales Cellars 2020 Kyla Pét-Nat Rosé – Pét-nat is an ancient way of making sparkling wines. A growing style in Texas, the Kyla from Stonewall-based Pedernales is a great example. This pét-nat of Tempranillo has notes of strawberry, raspberry and lime. $35
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé – Always a crowd pleaser with tiny bubbles and notes of tangerine, lemon and raspberry, this French champagne is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. $85
Rare Millésime Rosé, Champagne 2008 – No, I don’t pick wines by the label; however, the first time I saw this wine at the Wine and Food Foundation’s Rare and Fine Wine Auction, I was stunned. This metal label is drop-dead gorgeous, and so is the champagne. Toasted brioche and black fruit notes on the nose with an elegant palate of dark fruits, blood orange and baking spices. $475
Cheers!
