tentenActress and wellness author Cameron Diaz has teamed up with fashionista Katherine Power of Who What Wear to launch Avaline, which features two light and clean wines perfect for outdoor sipping.
There’s a white made in Spain and a rosé from France. Both wines are vegan-friendly, made with organic grapes and free of additives. Avaline’sgrapes are grown with low-to-no irrigation in certified-organic vineyards, which helps to ensure they’re not farmed with chemical pesticides. Both hold well in the fridge after opening thanks to the twist top, which has been used for generations in Europe.
Avaline White is a dry wine with a crisp, fresh finish and comes from Spain. It pairs perfectly cedar plank salmon right off the barbeque and is mild and mineral-driven with just an 11.5 percent ABV, making for a great mid-day spritz. Avaline Rosé has notes of melon and zest and comes from France. According to Diaz, it pairs well with the warmth of the sun and the company of your best friend.
“Avaline white and rosé are perfect for summer,” Diaz tells L.A. Weekly via email. “I don’t think there is anything more refreshing than an ice-cold – yes, I add ice to my wine – dry white wine or a crushy rosé on a hot summer day. Avaline also pairs really well with my summer staple dishes – fish, chicken and salads. If you want something easy to drink that is made with organic grapes, this is the everyday wine for summer sipping.”
Watermelon Frose (Courtesy LVE Wines)
If you like your summer bubbly, try the Riverbench 2016 Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine. This vintage is full of deep rich tones of pear mixed with a hint of tangerine and orange zest. It’s clean and refreshing with a bright acidity. Known for their sparkling wines, Riverbench was established in 1973, when the first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were planted along the bank of the Sisquoc River in Santa Maria, known as the Santa Maria Bench.
And while we’re on the subject of celebrity vintners, here’s a recipe from Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena using John Legend’s LVE rosé for a frosty frosé. They suggest making it the night before you’re planning to drink it so the flavors can marry. Another tip – simply freezing rosé makes it bitter and flat-tasting. A frosé recipe includes sugar to offset the bitterness (usually made as a simple syrup), and strawberries or some other fruit to add some color and additional flavor.
Watermelon Frosé
1 cup LVE rosé
½ cup frozen watermelon
½ cup frozen sliced strawberries
1 teaspoon of simple syrup
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust sweetness by adding more simple syrup as needed.
And if you need some recipes to pair with your pour, JUSTIN Wine is having a virtual tasting on Friday, August 7th from 5-6 p.m. on the @JUSTINwine Instagram page featuring chef Rachel Haggstrom and founder Justin Baldwin. The tasting will go live from the JUSTIN Estate in Paso Robles where the two will share favorite recipes and wine pairings for a summer BBQ. The chef will prepare a dish live, while Baldwin tastes through three JUSTIN wines including the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, 2019 Rose and 2016 JUSTIFICATION. For each wine featured, the tasting packs are made available for purchase here.