From Promising Young Woman to Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, here are 5 picks to sip while watching the Academy Awards. If wine could win an Oscar, all of these would be winners:
Promising Young Woman
Elouan Wines 2020 Rosé ($19.99) – Strawberries and roses on the nose of this light and simple salmon Rosé of Oregon could be considered a revenge wine, one that Carey Mulligan as a Promising Young Woman would sip. On the palate, a retaliation of strawberry surge mingles in a mix of ripened raspberries that prompted me to grab a container of berries to enjoy later.
Spearheading an environmentally conscious effort, Elouan Wines is a partner of Trees for the Future, and through the “Enjoy a Bottle, Plant a Tree” initiative, Elouan and Trees for the Future have planted more than half a million trees together.With every bottle or glass of Elouan Wines sold through May 31, a tree will be planted through Trees for the Future’s program with farmers across the globe.
The Father
Chêne Bleu 2015 Aliot ($54) Although it’s promoted as a medium-bodied white, I’d say this is a full-bodied white with a bite even Anthony Hopkins would enjoy. This Chêne Bleu Alio is more of a shoulder season white with a blend of Roussane, White Grenache, and Marsanne, and aged in old and new French oak barrels for 8 months.
It’s as powerful as the acting career of Anthony Hopkins, beginning with its bouquet of simmered peaches and roasted almonds that lead to a big finish of dried apricot and pineapple on the palate. The pairing suggestions for this wine seem about right: salmon, game, poultry, rabbit, pate and hard cheeses. I enjoyed with rotisserie chicken and vegetables. This wine is a keeper and can lay down for 5-6 years.
One Night in Miami
Malene 2020 Rosé ($22) leads the charge as the workhorse of Malene wines. I discovered the Malene magical rosé last summer, on a hotter-than-Miami day in California. Refreshing and vibrant, the 2020 central coast California vintage of pink drips strawberry, which isn’t exactly what I tasted last year. My palate preferred the peony, white grapefruit, peachiness of the 2019, so if you can scoop up any 2019 bottles, I highly recommend! The 2020 is lovely, too, but is more strawberry forward, so if you like this, by all means, enjoy!
I can imagine Director Regina King sipping on this crisp rosé during the filming of this Oscar-nominated film. The struggle is real in the film and for this 2020 vintage that created new meaning for the term “dry” January. There was no significant rainfall until March, and added to this historic year were wildfires, which led to some grapes with smoke taint – and ultimately dropped from the vines. The best grapes were saved to make this rose-gold expressive and exotic rosé. Kudos to the winemaker, New Zealand native Fintan du Fresne (Fin), whose passion to make rosé started during time spent with many of the great rosé houses of Provence, this rosé exudes the ideal French-style with lovely California Coast influences.
Mank
Like watching the incredible film, Mank, 2020 wasn’t a complete bust, especially when you factor in a bottle of Reserva Casillero del Diablo Rosé ($11.99). Crafted from French varietals, this medium-bodied Chilean rosé begins with a bouquet of crisp and cool raspberries. On the palate it’s a burst of fresh-picked strawberries with a bit of spice in the finish – perfect to pair with a summer salad. Care to take it up a notch to a Mank level of a spirited, boozy treat? Check out this recipe for Frozé del Diablo Popsicles.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Böen 2019 Pinot Noir ($24.99) Ba-da-bing! Cherries, that is. And Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom dresses she wore to cover her bodacious figure reminds me of this big, Burgundian-style wine – personality, plus! Like Ma Rainey, this pinot noir is a bit gravelly, but refined, and Böen draws its profile from the varied coastal winegrowing areas of California’s most sought-after cool-climate appellations. Pinot Noir must be harvested early and during optimal growing conditions. Temperamental as these grapes are, this vintage packs a wallop of ripe Bing cherry, cocoa and red blackberry (marionberry) with a rich and balanced palate and a bright acidity that leads into a long, smooth finish Ma Rainey would surely enjoy.
Charlene Peters is living the life of a nomad and shares tales of luxury travel, food, wine and wellness. She is also the author of Travel Makes Me Hungry: Tales of tastes and indigenous recipes to share.