Taste Tuesdays: Vintage 59 Winery

Us creatives love our wine (I cracked up in Eat, Pray, Love when she points to the bottle of wine and says, "therapist"). So last night was a treat as a local alcohol retailer hosted a wine tasting, which he does every so often and only asks for a donation (most people giving about $10). We tried 10 different wines for the featured winery, Vintage 59 out of France, none of which I fell in love with, but I did extremely enjoy these three:
1. Red: Domaine de la Chevalerie Les Galichets, Bourgeuil--this is a Cabernet Franc which was a first for me and is heavy and earthy due to being grown on a stony sand clay that rests on limestone. Would need to be drank on its own after dinner, or with red meats for $29.99 a bottle.
2. Red: Domaine Richeaume, Cotes de Provence--this was my favorite wine of the night; a blend of Cabernet and Grenache with less mineral taste and a nice big, smooth flavor. Would be great with anything, anytime for $29.99.
3. I am a champagne girl and probably prefer it to wine (although I don't usually buy it or order it...and I have no idea why?!) so the Champagne Barnaut Blanc de Noirs was my favorite overall beverage of the evening. Fruity with a pear taste jumping out to me the most, it was simply delicious and light, and had a slightly more wine element than standard champagne. I could drink this anytime, but of course it was the most expensive at $52.99!
Wine tastings are such a fun, creative way to hang out with friends because you get to talking about tastes, smells, and who has traveled to where the wines are from. It's creativity for the tongue!