HIt & Miss: Côte Mas NV Crémant de Limoux Rosé Brut with Honey-Drizzled Goat Cheese Toasts & Prosciutto-Wrapped Cantaloupe

Wine: Côté Mas NV Crémant de Limoux Rosé Brut 12% $17
Origin: Languedoc, France 

Taste: This pale pink bubbly's sweetly scented, dried rose petals laced with peach and dried strawberries lead to a generous body creamy with bubbles. The back palate turns nicely focused with thirst-quenching, acidic lift. Delightfully easy-drinking and light-bodied with plenty of mineral elegance and just a hint of toast, I prefer serving this with hors d'oeuvres rather than at the table. This is composed of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc and 10% Pinot Noir. 87 points

Expectation: I expected that, thought slightly on the tart fruit side, this wine would be able to match both dried and fresh fruits. Turns out that it really depended on the supporting players of each appetizer.

Hit: Honey-Drizzled Goat Cheese on Toasted Maison Kayser Pumpkin Seed & Cranberry Bread
The Pinot Noir that gives the wine its red fruit tones links nicely to this appetizer's cranberries while the bright acidity tears through the creaminess of fresh goat cheese. The light yeastiness from the aging post-bottle fermentation links up perfectly with the bread's soft, doughy interior. There's just enough - and not too much - sweetness from the toast and honey to match this wine's dosage.

Miss: Prosciutto-Wrapped Cantaloupe
While the Prosciutto alone would nicely contrast this wine's acidic verve, when accompanied with cantaloupe, there was a serious disconnect. The perfectly ripe, succelent melon clashed with the wine's lean fruit and light concentration. Better to wrap the prosciutto around grissini (breadsticks)!