This Week in Wine: Domaine Alexandre Bonnet Rosé des Riceys

In French, la rentrée literally means “the return.” It usually happens after they have their vacations in August and corresponds to getting back to work and school. For me, March 2022 is my return to actually getting back to my blog. One of things I have to remember is if I didn’t start blogging in 2006, I would not be here. Not writing about wine, travel, food. I would not have started Black Wine Professionals. My life, I like to think, has been a series of blog posts over the years. Friday marks 16 years of blogging. Where has the time gone. Literally the older I get the faster it moves. And being in a Panera for the past two years didn’t help either. 

Over the holidays I hit a wall. Yes, I hit a wall. And I hit it hard. That’s what happens when you ignore your body, mind, and spirit and just keep grinding. I missed reading a book on a lazy Sunday. I missed getting lost in a TV show. I also realized I missed writing just for me. I missed talking about wine, writing about wine, and enjoying wine, as a professional and as an enthusiast. That’s how we all come to wine, as enthusiasts.  When I hit the wall I realized I like writing professionally and I also enjoy writing just for myself and I don’t mean just an Instagram post. I missed my blog. My blog is home. So here I am returning home. To the place that has always been safe to write, share (at times difficult), and enjoy. 

I’ve been a full-time caregiver since September with my aunt in Louisiana. So basically I have bounced around all over the place. It’s the first time in a long time that I actually have Sundays to myself again. Before, working at the wine store I worked most Sundays and I forgot just how much fun a Sunday can be. 

One of the things I’ve been doing is only watching one news show a week. And it’s usually the Sunday shows because it just works better for me. I read my news. I like in depth coverage and I don’t get that from daily 30-minute or hour segments. So in the spirit of the Sunday news shows, I’m starting my series called This Week in Wine. It’s about a wine that I had the previous week and want you to know about. 

This week it’s Alexandre Bonnet Rosé des Riceys. When I had this wine my first thought was I need to do a video. I have to tell people about this wine. It’s more than a rosé, but I understand the name. It’s really a light-bodied red wine. It’s juicy, has personality, and is not at all what you think of when you think of the summer of rosé. It’s way too good for that. It’s tart, but with a good finish and is the perfect accoutrement for food. I had it with Texas style BBQ ribs and let me tell you it was a great pairing. If I was having a burger, I would go for a quarter pounder with cheese from McDonalds if that is your jam. It would work with both. Could it pair with a gourmet meal? Absolutely, but play around with the normal foods you eat. That way you can really understand why wine and food go together.

I recommend using your Coravin for this one. This way you can experience the wine again. Trust me, it’s worth it. 

I’m back to leading group travel as well and I’m so excited to be one of the tastemakers with The Palatum. I’m leading a trip to Lyon and Provence in October. If you would like to travel with me to France, here’s the link. For a more detailed itinerary, email me and I’ll send you the code. It’s going to be a good time.