Last week, an impromptu shark tooth hunting trip to the beach turned into an evening sharing a couple of great wines with great friends! It was our favorite Venice kind of day.
🥂 Our First Great Wine of the Evening – a Claroscuro Rosé
We started the evening with a 2024 Claroscuro Rosé of Petit Verdot which was perfect after a sun-filled day on the beach. We visited this winery during our trip to Argentina earlier this year and were so surprised by this wine. Since my “partner in wine” absolutely loves Petit Verdot, it was no shock that we loved this enough to ship a couple of bottles home. (Now I’m thinking we should have shipped more than a couple!)
The 2024 Claroscuro Rosé of Petit Verdot
Wine: 2021 Claroscuro Rosé of Petit Verdot
Winery: Claroscuro Bodega de Arte
Region: Uco Valley, Tunuyán, Vista Flores (Argentina)
Blend: 100% Petit Verdot
Price: ~$20
Rating: 🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️
Tasting Notes:
It’s a refreshing “beach in a glass” wine that’s definitely more interesting than your average rosé. It has a vibrant pink color and a special personality. We picked up fresh raspberries and floral notes, but there was also a unique, subtle hint of eucalyptus that made it incredibly crisp. It took all of us awhile to figure out what it was, and that was a fun guessing game that kept us busy while we enjoyed it. Smooth and lively without being sweet, it was the perfect bottle to enjoy while counting our shark teeth. It is an amazing, unpretentious rosé from Tunyan Mendoza Argentina that fits the Venice vibe perfectly.
Paired With: We enjoyed this on its own, but it would be perfection with a light snack or seafood – maybe some fun fish tacos, or a simple pizza.
Where to Buy: We’re disappointed that we did not find any options to purchase this wine here in the states, but you can purchase their Sparkling Rosé. At less than $20 a bottle, it would definitely be a worthy wine to try out!
🍷 Our Second Great Wine of the Evening – a Schweiger Cab
The next wine we opened was a special one from Schweiger Vineyards—a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon. We tasted this at this year’s Forks and Corks in Sarasota, and promptly ordered some directly from Andy Schweiger, the winemaker himself who was pouring the wines at Forks and Corks. (And stay tuned, we have plans to visit the winery this fall!)
We decanted this about an hour before drinking, and wow—it was a smooth, bold Napa Cab, as perfect as a sunset on Venice Beach.
Wine: 2004 Schweiger Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Winery: Schweiger Vineyards
Region: Spring Mountain, Napa
Blend: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot
Tasting Notes:
After twenty one years in the bottle, the tannins have smoothed out completely, leaving a wine as easygoing as our afternoon on the beach. We found flavors of blackberry and plum mixed with a little cedar and dark chocolate, making it feel rich but definitely not “stuffy.” This full-bodied red is in its absolute prime right now. Even our friend who doesn’t typically love a cab sang this wine’s praises!
Where to Buy: Contact the vineyard directly.
🏝️ Venice Wine Experience Thoughts
We love wines for the way they evoke memories and bring people together. Both of these bottles brought back memories of places we’ve been while creating new memories right here at home with friends. We don’t need a formal pairing, or a big celebration to break out special wines. And special wines don’t always mean expensive wines. For us, we love sharing our experiences with our friends…and hope you’re enjoy them as well!
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