Floral Rosé Brut is packaged so beautifully that it could put anyone in a festive mood. The taste—fragrant sparkling Rosé with hints of berries, cherries and roses—is just as stunning. The bottle is swathed in pink, red, orange and yellow flowers—thanks to a wrap-around plastic covering—and it’s available for around $20.
Produced in Italy by Valdo Spumanti, one could not ask for a more wallet-friendly bottle of bubbly. It is bright and fresh tasting with a blend of 75% Nerello Mascalese from Sicily and 25% Glera from Veneto, with flavors of ripe melon and strawberry.
Valdo was started in 1926 by the Societa Anonima Vini Superiori and purchased by the Bolla family in the 1940s. Even after 90-plus years of winemaking, the company continues its quest to make quality wines. Valdo has also been Italy’s No.1 Prosecco maker for over 15 years. us.valdo.com.
Wine Wednesdays
After a hiatus of more than a year, Wine Wednesdays at Seascape Beach Resort are returning. These popular weekly wine-tasting events, complete with music, take place in the Atrium on the main floor and consist of a small appetizer or charcuterie plate and four 2-ounce pours—with a different winery featured each week. The first Wine Wednesday is Sept. 21, 5:30-7pm, and will feature local winery favorites such as Storrs and Integrity.
$25 plus tax and gratuity. Seascape Beach Resort, 1 Seascape Resort Drive, Aptos. 866-867-0976; seascaperesort.com.
RED Makes Chocolate Without Sugar
I came across a chocolate brand made without sugar. It’s called RED, and it comes in varieties including dark; extra dark; hazelnut and macadamia; milk; orange and almond. Made in Europe by a Swiss-owned company, it’s gluten-free, non-GMO and made with the finest cocoa beans—the sweetness is derived from erythritol and stevia. red-chocolate.com.
