Behind the Cork™ - Bouvet Rose Excellence Brut Sparkling Wine

Bouvet Excellence Brut Rosé NV ($19.99)

Since 1851, Bouvet Ladubay, in the Loire Valley, has been one of France’s greatest producers of méthode traditionnelle (naturally fermented in the bottle) sparkling wine.

Founded in 1851 by Etienne Bouvet and his wife Célestine Ladubay, Bouvet Ladubay is the second oldest sparkling wine-producing house in Saumur. By 1890, it had become France’s largest producer of Méthode Traditionnelle wines.

Today, they are run by the fourth generation of the Monmousseau family, producing close to 7 million bottles of wine.

This Bouvet Excellence Brut Rosé is produced from 100% Cabernet Franc, sourced from about 80 growers around Saumur and the Loire Valley area, a classic grape of the region. The grapes undergo a quick maceration on the skins followed by production in the méthode traditionnelle, this sparkling rosé is aged in the bottle on lees for 9 to 24 months.

Bouvet Excellence Brut Rosé is a beautiful light salmon color with very delicate aromas. On the palate, this sparkling rosé is light-bodied with strawberry, raspberry and peach flavors. It’s soft and easy to drink, not sweet, with vey light bubbles that lead to a creamy finish.

This Bouvet Excellence Brut Rosé is a wonderful addition to a warm summer day and goes with most any foods. And, at this price, is a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Bouvet Ladubay via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

Behind the Cork™ - Chateau dAqueria Tavel Rose

2025 Château d’Aqueria Tavel Rosé ($25)

Château d’Aqueria is the largest estate of Tavel. It has been making wines in Tavel since the end of the 16th century.

While Tavel is a specific wine region in France, the region only makes one highly distinct style of wine. So, the name "Tavel" is also used to refer to the type of wine itself.

Tavel was the first appellation created in France (1936).

Unlike the ultra-pale, light rosés, Tavel wines undergo a longer grape-skin maceration (often 12 to 72 hours). This gives them a dark pink or ruby hue, higher tannins, and rich, spicy, berry flavors. It is often referred to as a "rosé for red wine drinkers.”

This Château d’Aqueria Tavel is made from grapes that are handpicked from Château d’Aqueria’s own vineyards. They are then destemmed, followed by a maceration to extract color. The varieties, Grenache (50%), Syrah (20%), Clairette (10%), Mourvèdre (10%), Cinsault (5%), and Bourboulenc (5%) are blended two by two to enhance aromatic complexity. The grapes are then pressed before the fermentation undergoing temperature-controlled maceration and fermentation in stainless steel vats for 15 days. This wine sees no malolactic fermentation and no oak contact. A second blend took place in December before bottling.

Château d’Aqueria Tavel is a beautiful deep pink color that is nearly red. It has delicate aromas of strawberry and candied cherry. On the palate, it medium-light bodied rosé is bone dry (little or no residual sugar) at 14% ABV, has medium acidity and finishes with great red fruit flavor.

If Tavel rosé is something you’ve never tried, now is the time. It’s perfect intersection of red and wine wines, therefore pairing well with most foods. It’s a great wine at a very affordable price. That’s the criteria for being a Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Château d’Aqueria via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

Behind the Cork™ - Chateau La Nerthe Les Cassagnes Rose

2025 Chateau La Nerthe Les Cassagnes Rosé ($22.99)


The first deed attesting to the existence of Château La Nerthe was signed on November 25, 1590, with its acquisition by the Tulle de Villefranche family. It was then a country house known as the Grange de Beauvenir.

Marquis Jean-Dominique Tulle de Villefranche (1711-1760) completed making it one of the flagship estates of the Rhône Valley in France by launching the castle's construction on the foundations of the medieval cellar. They innovated in the vineyard and the wine cellar, for example, shipping bottled wines starting in 1776.

Produced in Tavel, the heart of the Rhône Valley’s rosé production, this Côtes du Rhône rosé is crafted from 30+ year old vines of Grenache Noir/Blanc/Gris (60%), Cinsault (30%), and Syrah (10%). The grapes are handpicked and directly sorted when arriving in the cellar. Direct pressing took place in a pneumatic press over a 3 hour period. It was then fermented in temperature controlled tanks at low temperature to preserve freshness of the fruit.

This Chateau La Nerthe Les Cassagnes Rosé is a medium salmon in color with delicate aromas of sweet fruit, strawberries and candied cherry. On the palate, this rosé is light-bodied with the delicate flavor of strawberry. The acidity is balanced yet yields a refreshing rosé that has finishes clean and crisp.

Springtime means rosé season is officially in bloom! So, give this Chateau La Nerthe Les Cassagnes Rosé a try. It’s a great wine at a very affordable price. That make it the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Chateau La Nerthe via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

Behind the Cork™ - Montes Cherub Rose Wine

2025 Montes Cherub Rosé ($16.99)

The sun is finally shining, and there’s a hint of spring in the air. The season brings a fresh, vibrant energy that makes the world feel alive again. With warmer breezes, longer days thanks to daylight saving time, and the first flowers beginning to bloom, it’s the perfect moment to welcome a bright new season.

Springtime means rosé season is officially in bloom. Who doesn’t want a fresh, fruity, and crisp glass of rosé while soaking in the sun on a patio? Pink wine is truly springtime in a glass. It is also a perfect complement to leisurely brunch celebrations and holidays like Mother’s Day.

Pacific-cooled Syrah (85%) and Grenache (15%) from Montes’ coastal Marchigüe estate in the Colchagua Valley (Chile) come together in this refreshing rosé.

Montes Cherub is a beautiful medium salmon color with delicate aromas of strawberry and candied cherry. On the palate, this light-bodied rosé has really nice red fruit flavors of raspberry and cherry. The acidity is just right, resulting in a light, refreshing and easy to drink wine. Perfect for Springtime.

Yet another great wine that’s affordably priced. A perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Montes Winery via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

Behind the Cork™ - Easton Zinfandel

2016 Easton Zinfandel ($18)

Easton Wines was founded in the late 80s by husband and wife team Bill Easton and Jane O’Riordan.

Bill puts his family name, EASTON, on their non-Rhône varietal wines. The wines are crafted from varietals that have traditionally worked the best in Amador County and the Sierra Foothills.

This wine was produced from 100% Zinfandel vines grown in Amador County that are from 20-80 years old. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and was aged for 11 months in 10% new French oak barrels.

Easton’s Zinfandel style typically emphasizes acidity and spice over "jamminess." This wine has been described as having aromas of blackberry, raspberry and black pepper. Unfortunately, although this 2016 vintage bottle has been stored in a wine refrigerator in a darkened room, it showed some definite garnet color and muted fruit flavors - signs of premature oxidation. It seems that this bottle moved past its "secondary" stage of aging and went straight into "tertiary" phase (dried leaf, leather, earth) much faster than I expected. It should hold up for 10 to 15 years.

So, while this bottle didn’t hold up well, I still believe that Amador County produces great wines, Zinfandel and Barbera especially. So, I’ll be giving Easton Wines another try real soon. Cheers.