N.V. RIVETER ROSIE SWEET RED
RIVETER ROSIE is a semi-sweet red wine made from estate grown Syrah and Cabernet Franc grapes. It is a full-bodied red wine with fresh black raspberry and black cherry character that will hold up to any barbeque. Rosie can be enjoyed on its own or turned into sangria with a little ice, fresh sliced fruits and soda or sprite.
When I visited Hidden Hangar back in June I bought a bottle of Riveter Rosie as I’d been told it was specially formulated to go with barbeque. That meant holding onto the wine until I made some… luckily, I didn’t have to.
My best friend works for a local car dealership that sponsored a classic car show and barbeque cookoff. He was the judge for the ribs category – and brought me a rack of the winning ribs – a rack of blueberry/cayenne glazed ribs from Hog Shots out of Orlando, Florida. (They won the category.)
Perfect with a baked potato and some Riveter Rosie.
The wine had a bit of a vinegar scent when I opened it, so I feared I’d let it sit out too long (kitchen counter) and it got too much sun, but letting it breathe a little I got a nice floral scent with some red fruit. Which made sense, since it had a good berry flavor.
The wine soothed the spice of the ribs. (My BFF said it had a little kick – which meant it had a big kick for me… since our descriptions of spice are about a football field off….) Yet the spice amplified the flavor of the wine. The spicy barbeque killed the acidity of the wine. So, a nice balanced wine – perfect for barbeque.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, I probably spent more time pondering the flavors in the ribs (which were fall off the bone) than I did on the wine. After all, I can nip up to Denison for more wine – a little harder to get over to Orlando. Plus I’d promised my BFF that I’d figure it out so he could duplicate it. Best I got was cayenne, brown sugar, cinnamon and blueberry juice.
Regardless, next neighborhood barbeque, I’ll offer to bring the wine. Because while some will swear by beer and bbq, I’ll take a sweet (but not too sweet) red like Riveter Rosie any day with my brisket, ribs or sausage.
NOTE ADDED
Since this was scheduled to publish just after the wine maker’s dinner at Hidden Hangar, I enjoyed discussing with Mark (wine maker) his process for developing the wine. I won’t give away his secrets, but let’s just say it’s much like creating a winning spice rub or barbeque sauce – a lot of trial and error and tasting.
