When I prepare for my daily walk, I try to focus on a singular concept or idea; one that I can mull over while I trek through the park. I wouldn’t call it a mantra, as it’s not part of any spiritual practice. Mindfulness? Perhaps, but I’m not even sure what that is, exactly.

Funneling my mental energy helps tame the anxiety that seems to accompany me everywhere these days. Instead of wasting my juice on worry, I channel it in more productive ways. I feel a lot better, and I end up writing a lot more.

I don’t plan my daily focus, in fact, it usually arises after a conversation or encounter with a neighbor, or something I observe on my way to the park. Today, my inspiration came during an elevator ride to the basement, on my way to take out the trash.

Freddie, who works in our building, greeted me with a smile as the doors opened, and asked if I was going for my “promenade.” I nodded yes, and he quickly reached out to take my trash bag. “Don’t worry, I will take it down for you. Enjoy this beautiful day!”

A couple of floors later, two elderly women got on, and Freddie addressed them by name, offering each one a compliment on her outfit. Everyone in the elevator car was smiling as the doors opened onto the lobby. One of the women told Freddie he had made her day. His response?

“Sometimes the best thing you can give to a person is a smile.”

Wise man, that Freddie.

Breathing in the Beauty of the Day

Before I had walked half a block, I was under the influence of spring – or at least the promise of it. The sun shone brightly, the air was crisp and fresh, and even the New Yorkers around me projected a (skeptical) note of cheer. As I neared the park, tourists emerged from every direction, and I envied their leisurely approach to the day. I took a deep breath and pretended I was one of them.

Breathe in the beauty of the day, I told myself. And there it was – the theme for my morning jaunt. I kept repeating it and, soon enough, I was in the zone, appreciating the stark silhouettes of the leafless trees; listening to the ducks splashing in the water; smelling the rain-washed dirt beneath my feet. Beauty everywhere.

Adorada Wines – A Focus on Aesthetics

Made in California, Adorada Wines are all about pleasing the senses. For starters, they come in an attractive clear glass bottle topped with black wax – an uber-modern look with a distinct fashionista vibe. The rosé is pretty as a picture, with its watermelon-pink hue accented by the stark white label and sleek waxy icing. And what’s inside the bottle is just as tempting.

Margaret Leonardi, winemaker for Adorada Wines, approaches her work more as a parfumier than a traditional blender of grape juice. In fact, she takes her inspiration from California’s unique palette of sea, earth, and sky, creating a hedonistic experience that touches all the senses. With numerous aromatic grape varieties at hand, she mixes and matches, blends and re-blends until she arrives at the perfect elixir – one with a profusely floral and fruity bouquet.

2016 Adorada Wines Eau de California Rosé (13% abv; $20 SRP)

The exact blend is proprietary, so I’ll have to make a guess as to what’s inside. My nose tells me Grenache, Gewurztraminer, and maybe a little Pinot Gris. Pure nose candy, in any case.

Color: Pale pink, like a grapefruit or the palest part of a watermelon.

Nose: Pronounced cherry and grapefruit aromas mingle with an earthier rose petal note. Then there is a little citrus pith. Wow! This wine is the aromatic equivalent of a kaleidoscope.

Palate: Broiled red grapefruit with caramelized sugar on top. Well, that’s the first thing I thought of! Tangy acidity balances ripe cherry fruit, and there’s more rose on the finish. A very enjoyable wine, one that promises spring is on the way, even if it’s 30 degrees outside.

2016 Adorada Wines Eau de California Pinot Gris (12% abv; $20 SRP)

This wine is mostly Pinot Gris, with a supporting cast. As with the rosé, the exact blend is not specified, but I’d lay money on there being some Muscat in the mix. Maybe some Riesling. It’s all good.

Color: Pale lemon-green.

Nose: Quite intense aromas of pear, lemon zest, and clementine. A touch of honeysuckle.

Palate: Medium-bodied wine with flavors of yellow pear, lemon, and melon. Very round in the mouth, with a long finish hinting at bitter almond and citrus pith. This is a really easy wine to drink, although I found myself wishing for a bit more acidity to balance the lush fruit. All around, though, a very pretty wine.

About Adorada Wines

Adorada, which is part of the Fetzer Wines portfolio, is a lifestyle brand that embraces beauty, fashion, and a modern aesthetic bent. I can imagine these wines would appeal to the gallery-opening, front-row fashionistas who embody the ethos of Urban Chic. And I can see these wines as perfect accompaniments to bridal showers, wedding receptions, and stylish parties at the new “it” hotel.

But they are also really nice wines for the rest of us, even if the closest we’ll ever get to the red carpet is our living room couch. So, pick up a bottle of Adorada Wine when your inner stylist wants to sip on something pretty. Pop the cork, and breathe in the beauty of the day.

Samples

I received these wines through my participation in #winestudio, an on-line, interactive wine education program that focuses on a particular region, grape, or style of wine each month. (Do check out the details here!) That said, I received no other compensation from the winery, and the opinions expressed here are my own. Cheers!