There’s a touch of spring in the air! The clocks go forward on March 14—so why not celebrate longer days with a nice glass of 2019 Grenache Rosé ($26) by Sarah’s Vineyard. This beautiful pink wonder is made by Tim Slater from his estate grapes, and I guarantee you will love it.
For Rosé, red wine grapes are typically harvested early in order to supply bright acidity and a hint of color. “We hand-picked our fruit in the early morning,” says Slater, “and whole-cluster pressed—just enough to draw the desired salmon color off the skins.”
Matured in neutral French oak cooperage for three months, the end result is a heavenly mouthful of Rosé wine that easily compares to those made in Provence in southern France. The Grenache Rosé comes with an easy-to-open screw cap.
Slater and his partner Megan have been spending “a lot of time in the kitchen” recently and have posted some of their delicious-looking recipes online. Slater also posts “Tim’s Blog”—an interesting look at what’s happening with his vineyards, and the challenges faced by winery owners in times of wildfires and Covid-19 restrictions. Being a winemaker can be very tough work!
Sarah’s Vineyard, 4005 Hecker Pass Highway., Gilroy. 408-847-1947, sarahsvineyard.com.
James Durbin
The cover story in the Good Times issue of Feb. 2 was on Santa Cruz singer James Durbin—famous for coming close to winning the “American Idol” competition in 2011. I was glued to the TV every week rooting for our local rocker. Shortly after the competition, Durbin came in to the Good Times office in downtown Santa Cruz and patiently had his photo taken with every staff member.
On another occasion, I was drinking wine in a friend’s tasting room when Durbin walked by. I invited him in to try a few red wines, which he happily quaffed. Durbin is not only a terrific musician, he is also a wonderful person—polite, genteel and unaffected. He now lives in Nashville and has released a new solo album, “The Beast Awakens.” And he loves red wine!
