Instead of buying Mom a bouquet of roses this Mother’s Day, how about surprising her with a bouquet of rosé instead?
“One of the nice things about the timing of Mother’s Day is that it syncs up nicely with the release of the newest vintage of rosé wines from all over the world. Those are always a great gift idea,” says Chris Cree, founder and managing partner of Cree Wine Company, a wine bar, restaurant, wine school, event space and online wine seller in Hampton.
Cree, who is New Jersey’s only Master of Wine, suggests rosés from the region of Bandol, which is a sub-region of Provence (Terrebrune’s Bandol rosé), or Sancerre region (Vacheron Sancerre rosé). “These bottles may be a little more expensive, but for Mother’s Day, we like to splurge a little bit,” he says.
Of course, you can also toast Mom — or your wife, grandmother, mother-in-law — with an exquisite Champagne. “Spring for the Champagne — with a capital C — for Mom,” says Cree. “The only wines that legally can be marketed as ‘Champagne’ have to be from the Champagne region of France. What makes it special are the blend of grapes used — mostly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier — the region’s cool climate and the chalky soil that brings that high acid and minerality to the blend, which makes it so unique and delicious.”
Champagne is made by fermenting the grapes into a still wine, then adding yeast and sugar to the wine in the bottle to create a second fermentation, which is where the bubbles come from, he explains.
Although Champagne can be a splurge — “bottles start in the high-$30 range, and the sky’s the limit,” Cree says — Champagne alternatives like sparkling wines, which can be as affordable as $15 a bottle, are the best choice for mixing. He recommends Crémant de Bourgogne or Cava, a sparkling wine from Spain.
Use these less-expensive bubbles to make a Kir Royale (crème de cassis and Champagne/sparkling wine) or a Bellini (Prosecco and peach purée), which you can jazz up for Mom with different juices.
If you don’t know what your Mom likes, you can “sneakily find out,” suggests Cree, who hosts wine tastings you can bring your Mom to prior to Mother’s Day to ascertain her preference.
Personally, Cree likes to give people wine from classic regions, like Sonoma County, California, and Burgundy and Bordeaux, France. “I love Robert Sinskey Vineyards in Napa, California. They make a classic rosé from Pinot Noir grapes that has a beautiful presentation in a tall, clear bottle,” he says. “Another nice gift is a bottle from Olga Raffault, a family of women winemakers in the Loire Valley in France.”
Or you can buy local from quality New Jersey vineyards. “Alba makes a good Riesling,” Cree says. “And Beneduce makes a good wine from Blaufränkisch, an Austrian grape.”
Knowing what your Mom likes might lead you instead to a fine liquor. If so, Cree suggests Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, which is akin to Grand Marnier. “It’s just delicious,” he says. “You can sip it on its own, over ice or mix it in drinks to spice them up.”
Also — and this may sound strange — please, drink the wine. “A big mistake people make is they buy wine and save it for a special day,” Cree says. “They save, save, save and then it’s past it’s prime.”
Uncorking the bottle you bring to Mom to celebrate her and give thanks for all she has done? Now, that’s something we can toast with enthusiasm.
For more information on wines, tastings and spring events, visit CreeWine.com.
“Spring for the Champagne — with a capital C — for Mom." - Chris Cree
“A big mistake people make is they buy wine and save it for a special day.” -Chris Cree