Pink Bubbles with a Cause: Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti Rosé

It’s October and that means that the colour pink is all the rage… it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and from football players’ shoes to towels, candles and Five Hour Energy drinks, everybody jumps on the “Breast Cancer Awareness” bandwagon by tinting their product pink.

I’m a guy. I like wine and I love women, so it only stands to reason that if something came along in the wine world that could amalgamate my passions, you’d better believe I’d hop on the bandwagon too. That’s why I am thrilled to point your attention to a worthwhile cause, both for your palate and for your conscience. The Bottega NV Il Vino dei Poeti has been in the market for quite some time, but in October it came to my attention that the Rosé version was being introduced in conjunction with the campaign to heighten your awareness for breast cancer.

Bottega is asking you to put pink in your glass (and it’s not just any pink, it’s a pink bubbly), while it puts some of the green it makes from this wine into the purses of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. It’s interesting to note that 70% of the employees at Distilleria Bottega in Italy are women, and that’s why women’s issues and charities are such a high priority to them. And while I am all for pairing a good cause with wine, it wouldn’t be worth a thing if the wine in the bottle weren’t of good quality (and, as a bonus, excellent value). The nose is raspberry and citrus, while the palate has all kinds of red berries like raspberry, cherry and hints of strawberry along with a pleasant citrus note… on the finish you’ll find delicate sweetness with a strawberry linger, which makes this fizz all the more fun.

Bottega NV Il Vino dei Poeti Rosé – $12.95, #277202 (Rating: 3.5+ stars – good-plus)