It’s the Season of the Goat (Wine)

It’s Goat Wine season.
Which basically means it’s spring. Which basically means it’s time to sit outside on your porch with a bottle of this.

Last summer, Ryan and I stumbled upon La Ferme Julien Rosé at Trader Joe’s — for $5.99 — a bottle. Honestly, I bought it because it was more than two-buck Chuck but still less than $10 — and it had a goat on the label. And I like goats. But what was a hey-let’s-try-this-’cause-it’s-cute purchase quickly became a bottle we wanted to have at home at all times. A little fruity with hints of strawberry and vanilla yet refreshingly light and dry, it was rosé love at first gulp. A little sweet without being too sweet, this blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah is simply perfection when well chilled on a warm, breezy day.
And, then, for obvious reasons (Remember: I love goats!), we nicknamed it Goat Wine. Oh, delicious Goat Wine.
Just a month or so into our new find, it seems like the rest of Kansas City found La Ferme Julien Rosé, too. And things got dire. I’d go into Trader Joe’s and, alas, all the Goat Wine was sold out! Not a single bottle left. Which only made us feel more justified in our new obsession: clearly this was the best spring porch-sitting wine ever! We had stumbled upon the deal of the century!
Weeks went by, and the Goat Wine was still sold out. I made calls to Trader Joe’s to check on when they were getting more. I may have made Ryan also call and ask from his cell phone in case they began to recognize my voice, question and number and referred to me as “that lady.” (For the record, I was totally that lady.) At last, I got a good tip from a TJ’s manager that they’d have some in. And when that day came, I bought a whole stinkin’ case. Because, well, we needed our Goat Wine (and no other rosé under $10 comes close to being as tasty, in my opinion) and summer was winding down!
We cherished that case for the rest of last summer and had a good six bottles left for this year. Which, we have now happily busted out as it’s clearly (finally!) spring. And you know that as soon as I saw it back at Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago, I bought another case. Just in case. (Get it? Har har!) Because, believe me, there’s not much worse in the world than when it’s a gorgeous spring day and you don’t have any Goat Wine on hand. (Insert obligatory hashtag somebody’s problems.)
And fun side note, while I was doing a little research before I wrote this post on exactly where La Ferme Julien Rosé comes from, I found out from Wine for the Win that …

Grapes for La Ferme are grown on vines that sit atop the slopes of Mont-Ventoux in the Rhone Valley in France by the Perrin family. The Perrins are known for their Roussannes as well as their collaboration with Tablas Creek in Paso Robles.

Um, if you recall this post, you’ll recall my obsession with Tablas Creek and therefore why my mind was blown. It’s like destiny. Sweet wine destiny!
So from my table to yours, happy Goat Wine season! And if you haven’t already, go pick up a bottle (or case) of my favorite spring wine: La Ferme Julien Rosé. Unless you live in Kansas City, in which case, I’m sorry if you can’t find it. I’m hoarding it all in my basement.
Do you have a wine or other food or drink that signals spring for you? What is it? —Jenn