Last year we waited, and waited, and waited for warmer days to come. Rosé wine, one of the best ways to enjoy said weather, took a kind of backseat amidst the dreary doldrums we experienced here in New England. It wasn’t until August that I finally had the inclination to write about how gorgeous (and not sweet) rosé wines are – and offered them as a solution to the hot and humid days of summer.

This year we’re off to a much better start – and the 2009 roses are starting to come in! Pop on over to Wicked Local to get a refresher course on these lovely wines and a few recommendations to kick off your 2010 rose travels.

We’ve got the full spectrum of wine fodder this Friday! Of course, the beginning of wine is really the making of wine….

Turns out the UK is experimenting with a new version of city wine-making. Rather than purchasing fruit from here there and everywhere and then inviting you to come crush and blend et.al.,  a London-based company called The Urban Wine Company uses local grapes to make uber-local wine – and you are involved in the whole process. Here I am trying to keep from killing my house plant, but it sounds like these guys might even be able to help turn my brown thumb green – while giving me the chance to make my own wine. I’m terroir believer when it comes to making great wine – and am certain great grapes can make great wine, while bad grapes have no chance of doing so. But the project sounds like a great opportunity to understand first-hand how all this works, more or less. Too bad I’m Boston-bound! Would you be interested in such a project if given the opportunity?

On the trade side of life, this week we’ve been on “the trade circuit” tasting quite a bit of vino at various Spring Tastings being hosted by our suppliers to get us excited about new vintages and new wines in their portfolios. I had the pleasure of running into Mike Helman of Shawsheen Liquors. Turns out he’s gearing up for the annual “Hair of the Dog” wine/beer tasting event, supporting the MSPCA. This event features a wine and beer tasting, art show and the White Street Band. Raffle prizes will abound, too. Tickets are $30 at the door or $25 in advance. Pop over to Shawsheen Liquors to find out more! The event is scheduled for next Friday, April 30th, 6 – 9pm.

Last but not least, we have wines that are made with a bit more… oomph. There is definitely a conversation in the wineosphere about The Hot Factor… Are wines over 14% alcohol bad? Not necessarily, I believe, so long as the wine is in balance. But that’s a bigger story for another day. In the meantime, check out this Wall Street Journal article on “Wines That Pack“. What’s your opinion about alcohol content in wine?

As the flowers begin to pop up, it seems every spring many new restaurants do the same. It’s been impossible to keep up with the flurry of activity around town this year – and in the world of our own restaurant reviews, we prefer to visit each new spot at least twice before giving any Final Answers about who is doing things well (or who isn’t).

This week on Wicked Local we bring to you just a quick synopsis of the Cambridge/Somerville springtime “new releases” you may want to put on your “must checkout” list. Check it out!

Have you popped in to anyone of these new spots yet? What was your impression?

We figure there’s no time like springtime to select wines that may tend to hibernate otherwise without a little special attention, simply because they are lesser known. So this April we’re keeping things both familiar (staying closer to home with domestic wine picks) and more… interesting! Our red wine choices don’t exactly roll off the tongue, but with such powerful juice in the bottle, we know that’s about to change. Enjoy learning about these noteworthy April Wicked Wines on Wicked Local today!

Are you familiar with any of these more off-the-beaten path picks?

It’s April! The sun is shining, the birds are chirpping and we’re all excited about and gearing up for even warmer days to come, namely…. summer vacation. But before I quite get ahead of myself, it is still April and Earth Day comes around the corner way before the last school bell rings.

Today we kick off our wine news and events with info about wine and ecology. Check out what Cathy Huyghe pulled together by way of some “fun facts” in this regard!

Next up, here’s a list of wine book suggestions as you start perusing the shelves of your local bookstore for some great get-a-way wine reads!

Last but not least, over at my other place of work, Ball Square Fine Wines, we’re unleashing a special cheese seminar next Wednesday night, April 14. Wines won’t be poured in addition to the seminar, but a good roster of suggestions will be available should you like to make a full evening of it. There’s nothing quite like bringing home new knowledge, fresh cheese and a little something else to transform your evening into a magical one!

Which wine books have caught your fancy of late?