Hey Bartender

I started my crawl by meeting a few co-workers at Secco Wine Bar. While I waited for them to arrive, I enjoyed a bottle of Bell's Expedition Stout as I mentally prepared myself for what was to come. I also had the opportunity to meet some of the staff at Secco as well as the owner. Once my friends arrived, we took a stroll down Cary Street with Matt, from Secco Wine Bar, toward the first stop on the official crawl -- Amici Ristorante. If you're a fan of authentic northern Italian cuisine, Amici is the place for you. We arrived a few minutes early, so we waited outside while the staff at Amici prepared for their dinner service.

Amici is small, but beautiful. The artwork, muted colors and lighting set the atmosphere for our first rosé -- Negroamaro Salento Mottura. This non-vintage wine is made with Negromaro and Malvasia Nera grapes grown in southern Italy. It's rich and slightly rustic with a mild earthy quality that highlights deep, roasted plum and mocha toned fruit. It's slightly dry, but very refreshing. It was the perfect way to begin the crawl. As we prepared to move on to the next stop, I noticed that we had been joined by quite a few rosé drinkers. At this point, I began to see it more as a pilgrimage rather than a crawl.

Our next stop was Amour Wine Bistro. Amour is known for its French and western European influenced cuisine. Their menu changes quite often and the staff is very adept at pairing their great meals with wine. I was not disappointed by what Amour offered those participating in the rosé pilgrimage. We were presented with a menu titled A Carytown Crawl Through Rosé Colored Glasses. The menu included a featured wine, 2010 Chateau de Valcombe Rosé, and seven other rosés by the glass with two flight options as well. In addition to the wines, there were five very reasonably priced hors d'oeuvres to pair with your wine choices.

Amour's rosé selection was impressive and I had a hard time deciding what to try. After a few milliseconds, I decided to sample a few of my favorites: Cotes de Provences Manon, Chateau la Calisse, La Bastide Saint Dominique, Guigal Tavel Rosé, and Lucien Albrecht Rosé Brut. The brut rosé is probably my favorite of this group. It's made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes hand-picked in the Alsace region of France. It's very refreshing with hints of cherry, strawberry and plum. It's the perfect wine for those hot summer nights in Richmond and paired really well with all of the food on the special crawl menu. Amour is a great place to enjoy food and wine pairings and I can't wait to return to see what's new on the menu.

It's not a crawl unless you actually continue the journey, so we reluctantly moved on to Can Can. As I expected, Can Can was bustling with its normal high energy crowd when we arrived. Most of the crawlers decided to move on to Secco, but I was not deterred by the crowd. As a member of the bartender fraternity, I had no trouble placing an order for the rosé offering from Can Can: Domaine De Mirail. Made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, this salmon colored wine has a hint of strawberry on the nose and palate. It's a perfect apertif that pairs well with smoked fish and cheeses seasoned with herbs. While enjoying this delicious French wine, two things happened. First, a downpour of epic proportions washed away any evidence of the beautiful sunny day we'd enjoyed at the beginning of our pilgrimage down Cary Street. Second, the epic downpour was, no doubt, the catalyst that propelled us back to a time when candles were the only source of light on a dark rainy day. This did not deter us from making our way to Secco, but it did make the sprint more fun, if not extremely wet.

When we arrived at the last stop on the pilgrimage, we joined what could only be described as a party. Despite the fact that there was no electricity (and no air-conditioning) or food, everyone was having a great time. Secco had a vast array of rosés to choose from, including two flights. I chose the Grenache-based flight and joined the party. My G-Men flight consisted of Chateau de Roquefort Rosé, Domaine Rouge-Bleu Rosé, and Gine Priorat Rosa. Of these, the most interesting was the Gene Priorat Rosa from Spain. It's a blend of Grenache and Merlot from the Catalunya region of Spain that is very complex with hints of dried cranberry, cherry, flowers and minerals. It was a great way to end the rosé pilgrimage.

So, there you have it, the first ever Carytown Rosé Crawl -- uncorked!!! If you weren't there, then you missed a great time. I'd like to thank Amici Ristorante, Amour Wine Bistro, Can Can, and Secco Wine Bar for their hospitality. I had a great time and so did everyone else who attended. Not only were the wines and food great, but it was proven, without mathematics, that good food and good wine can turn even the hottest miserable afternoon or the stormiest dark evening into a gloriously enjoyable experience. With that in mind, I hope that the next crawl is sooner rather than later. As always, whether enjoying rosés at home alone or with dozens of new friends in Carytown, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!