And Now a Birthday Rosé

        We recently celebrated yet another birthday--MK's--and we did it locally, at Cafe Rustica in Carmel Valley.

        What a tasty treasure this restaurant has been for years.  Its food and service are consistent and good, and its wine list is a nice blend of local, California and international wines. We sat outside, looking up at the golden valley hills and enjoying a sunny summer day.

        We ordered a few favorites to share--a roasted vegetable sandwich served with warm potato salad, and a red leaf lettuce salad.  The latter was a mound of--you guessed it--red leaf lettuce, generously sprinkled with spiced pecans, pear slices, crumbled blue cheese and a vinaigrette dressing.

        And for the wine, we shared a quarter liter of one of our favorite rosés, a Chateau d'Esclans "Whispering Angel"--what a great name-- from the Cotes de Provence, France. With its pale salmon color and fruity taste, it is yet another perfect summer wine to look at and savor.  This wine consistently gets high marks and reviews from the wine world and it certainly does with us.  In fact, we loved it so much, we went and bought a bottle at the new BevMo for $21.99.

        To end the meal in true wine blog fashion, we ordered a Blackberry Cabernet sorbet topped with mint sprigs.  It was pretty, sweet, and a refreshingly light way to end our celebratory meal.

        SO...if you want a delightful eating and wine experience, try Cafe Rustica with a little "Whispering Angel."