A Rose By Any Other Name...

Wine: 2007 Super Hero Wines One Last Kiss Grenache Rose
Meal: Salsa Butter Chicken with Spinach Macaroni

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Really pale pink. Just a hint of a red tint to it. Really pretty.

Nose: 11/15
A little difficult to pull out distinctive scents. A little on the generic side. Citrus with a touch of strawberry. Some orange peel and watermelon.

Taste: 8/10
Smooth vanilla, with cherry as the predominant fruit. Honeydew and pineapple follow with a faint bit of lemon. There's some herbaceousness to it as well. Excellent acidity with good balance.

Finish: 7/10
The cherry carries through to the finish, along with watermelon. Clean and enjoyable, mid-length.

Aging: 1/5
If you have it, drink it now. Doesn't seem like it was made to age (as most roses are not). It's ready to go, but it's probably peaking right now.

Overall: 4/5
Solid effort. Fun to drink. Good rose, especially for the price.

Total: 86 pts

Super Hero Wine Company is owned by winemaker Scott Harvey, who produces wine under this label along with "Scott Harvey" and a label named for his wife, "Jana Winery". I've had the privilege to meet this man, and he is just amazing to talk with. This particular wine is identical to the Jana Winery Grenache Rose, so if you have that one, consider the tasting notes and recommendations to be exactly the same.

I was very pleasantly surprised by how well the meal went with the wine. I think that the pairing could have benefited by a rose where the grapes were left on the skins a little longer, but this worked quite well.

Want to make this meal?

Salsa Butter Chicken

4 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
15oz jar mild salsa, drained w/liquid reserved
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 chicken breast halves
1 sprig rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine butter, milk, salsa solids, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, fennel seeds, horseradish, Worcestershire and parsley with 1/2 cup of the reserved salsa liquid. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, and then blend with a stick blender until smooth.

Spray 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Dip chicken into remaining salsa liquid and place in dish. Discard remaining salsa liquid. Cover the chicken with the salsa and spice blend. Place 1/2 sprig of rosemary on each chicken breast half, and bake for 1 hour.

Spinach Macaroni
Prepare your favorite boxed macaroni and cheese shells according to package directions, along with a box of frozen spinach. When both have been cooked, combine in a bowl.