Blog Archives

Rosé Wine

6/25/2012

Rosé wine is also called, rosado (Spain), rosato (Italy) or "blush".
Technically rosé wine is unfinished red wine.
Due to their versatility, they are a good choice for summer picnics and barbeques, pairing well with different types of food.
The amount of time the skins of red grapes have with the grape juice determine the color of the wine, the shorter the contact time with the skins, the lighter the wine’s color. Longer contact time with red grape skins produce deeper colors.
Rosé wines can be sweet or dry, with many European rosés characterized as dry.
Rosé wines can be made from one varietal or a blend.
Most rosé wines are made from a red grape varietal.
Varietals most often used in making a rosé wine are Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and zinfandel.
Sparkling rosés are traditionally made with a blend of red and white grapes.
Rosé wine flavors tend to be more subtle versions of their red wine varietal counterparts.
Try rosé wines with sushi, burgers, pizza, pasta, different meats and seafood.
Rosé wines are also a good value which contributes to their growing popularity.
Half of the rosé wine made in France comes from Provence.

For a creative experience with rosé wine, join us in the studio on Saturday, June 30th for Vincent Van Gogh and Rosé.

6/5/2012

The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890) Courtesy moma.org

He was born in 1853 in Holland and died in 1890 in France.
He was drawn to nature. A year before he died, he wrote in a letter to his sister, “I…am always obliged to go and gaze at a blade of grass, a pine-tree branch, an ear of wheat, to calm myself."
He wrote lots of letters, more than 800.
He was inspired to use lighter colors and experiment with brush strokes when he discovered the work of Monet, Seurat and Renoir.
He first devoted himself to painting full time in 1880.
Works created during his early Dutch period are somber-toned, with dark earthy colors, the most famous is "The Potato Eaters" (1885).
In his last 70 days, he is said to have averaged a painting a day.
Before becoming an artist, his jobs included a clerk in a bookstore, an art salesman, and a preacher.
Van Gogh began painting sunflowers to decorate Gauguin's bedroom in Arles.
Van Gogh created Starry Night during his time at an asylum in 1888.
His brother Theo collected the majority of his work and Theo’s widow published Van Gogh’s work after his death and he and his work became famous almost instantly.
In a short period of ten years Van Gogh made approximately 900 paintings.