So It Begins

Let’s be real here, spring and summer are the PERFECT time of year to get into rosés, and May in Alabama is the perfect medium between spring and summer. So whether you that pank drank with food or while sitting on the back porch listening to the lullaby of cicadas, this is the best time to do it.

Okay, so I get how “basic” liking rosé has gotten in recent years. But as I say every fall, “if liking [insert basic thing like pumpkins or rosé here] is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.” Because truly, rosé has been one of my favorite things since I began drinking wine about 3 years ago. So forgive me for loving this rosé so much, especially considering the price.

Côté Mas Rosé Aurore

Price: $10

Varietal: 30% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, 50% Grenache Noir

Region: Pays d’Oc, France

Vintage: 2016

Retailer: Doozy’s Fine Wine, Spirits, and Ale

One of my main goals with this adventure is to bring you quality wines at even better prices, and this is definitely a quality wine at a quality price. The bottle itself is 1 liter, with a sticker boasting “33% more wine”. I’m not usually the girl to buy the liter bottles, but hey, for $10, it was a steal, and it does not taste like a $10 wine.

As with any rosé from Languedoc, the Côté Mas has a nice salmon color and a nose full of strawberries and cherries. But the taste has a juicy tartness like a ripe raspberry and ugh, is it nice. Like, I can picture the raspberry juice dribbling down my chin, but in a classic nostalgic way. But here comes one of the things I love most about rosés: it’s light and soft, but it still has flavor and texture. Which makes it perfect for relaxing outside. Or enjoying with food.

And that brings us to our next topic: the food. I love food. Which isn’t really a new thing for a wino. We all love food. But the thing is most winos love meat, and while I’ve been known to wax more “flexitarian” than vegetarian, I’m trying here. And a rosé is the perfect place to start with veggie and wine pairings.

I decided to start things off with something kind of easy and fun. And when you think “easy” and “fun” in terms of food, who doesn’t think “pizza”? So after perusing several different vegan and vegetarian blogs for different veggie pizzas, I decided to throw a few things together, namely these balsamic red onions and this spinach artichoke pizza with a few variations here and there, which I thought would be easy. And honestly, it was pretty easy, though I may have almost burned the onions and myself in the process.

So without further ado, I give you my delightful Spinach Artichoke Pizza with Balsamic Red Onions.

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Spinach Artichoke Pizza with Balsamic Red Onions

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Balsamic Red Onion

1 to 2 tbsp olive oil

2 medium, thinly sliced

a pinch of red pepper flakes

a dash of salt

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

The Pizza

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 roll pizza dough

1 1/2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese, divided

1 (14 oz.) can quartered artichokes, drained

1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS

Balsamic Red Onions

1. Slice red onion, the thinner the better. I suggest slicing the slices in half as well (they’ll fit better on the pizza this way).

2. Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced red onion, red pepper flakes, and salt. Toss to combine. Cover and cook—stirring occasionally—for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft.

3. Pour in balsamic vinegar and stir until onions are evenly coated. Cook uncovered until balsamic vinegar has condensed and mostly absorbed into onions.

4. Set aside to cool.

The Pizza

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.

2. On a greased or lined baking sheet, unroll and spread out the pizza dough to the desired thickness.

3. Combine garlic and 3 tbsp olive oil, then spread evenly over pizza dough. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and 2 tbsp parmesan.

4. Toss artichokes, spinach, and cooled red onions, adding a drizzle of olive oil if needed to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Arrange mixture on top of cheese. Sprinkle the leftover 2 tbsp parmesan on top.

6. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until crust is golden.

7. Slice and serve with a cold glass of the Côté Mas Rosé, of course!

Salud et bon appetit, mes amis!