In the world of food and wine, no experience surpasses the sheer pleasure of enjoying well-chilled dry rosés on a hot day.

Mix and match several well-balanced, refreshing rosés with easy-to-prepare summertime cuisine, and then let the casual fun begin in summer's languorous afternoon heat.

The art of enjoying dry rosés reaches its zenith in the sun-kissed landscapes of Provence, in southeastern France. Summer's blistering mid-day heat parches palates and sends locals to shaded patios seeking respite.

Hefty red wines prove too ponderous on such torrid afternoons. Chilled white wines deliver refreshment, but typically lack the complexity and full flavors necessary to match Provençal cuisine's intriguing blend of garlic, spicy olives, capers, anchovies and aromatic herbes de provence . Provençal's dry rosés provide the solution.

Typically, the wines' dusty pink color and lightness come from brief contact with red grape skins prior to fermentation. But the skin contact conveys just enough fruity aromas and full flavor to complement the regional cuisine perfectly. A distinct lack of residual sugar prevents classic Provencal dry rosés from fatiguing palates with cloying sweetness.

The 2009 La Source de Vignelaure Rosé Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, France (Specialty 12143 ; $13.99) illustrates perfectly. The winemakers used traditional red-skinned grenache, syrah and cinsault varieties grown with relatively low yields (30 hectoliters per hectare) in clay and limestone covered with stony soils. After sorting, removing stems and crushing the harvested grapes, contact with the skins lasted only three hours.

Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks to preserve fruitiness and fresh acidity. After fermenting to a dry finish, the wine remained on the spent yeast for three months to add complexity and creamy fullness.

The resulting wine's dusky salmon color offers enticing strawberry aromas. Fruity berry flavors and round texture balance beautifully with fresh acidity and mouthwatering mineral notes through the dry, elegant finish. Highly recommended.

Just north of Provence in the Southern Rhône's Ventoux region, the 2009 Les Vignerons du Mont Ventoux Grange des Dames Rosé, Ventoux, France (Specialty 12133; $9.99) provides another textbook dry rosé.

This reliable producer uses grenache, carignan and cinsault grapes from vineyards arrayed across sun-drenched, rolling hillsides in Bedoin, Crillon-le-Brave, Flassan , Modène and St. Pierre de Vassol, the tiny, rural villages where the cooperative's winegrowers live and work. Once again, rigorous grape selection and fermentation in stainless-steel tanks help to ensure a high quality, refreshing wine.

The wine's slightly darker pink color hints at slightly fuller body. Fresh strawberry and cherry aromas with pleasant spicy notes open to fresh, fruity flavors and creamy notes. Bright acidity balances the fruity, yet dry, finish. Recommended.

Moving around the Mediterranean rim to Spain, the 2009 Cruz de Piedra Garnacha Rosado, Calatayud, Spain (Specialty 14562; $9.99) offers another excellent choice. The "Cross of Stone" name refers to markers along the famous pilgrims' path -- the Camino de Santiago de Compostela -- across northern Spain to Galicia near the Atlantic Ocean.

The winery used all grenache grapes grown in Spain's Zaragoza province to create a light ruby color. Piping strawberry and raspberry aromas with pleasant spicy notes open to ripe red fruit flavors balanced by rich acidity. A fruity, yet dry and refreshing, finish provides the satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended.

Returning to our own shores, nobody tops Randall Grahm's world-class, dry rosé. Consider, for example, Grahm's terrific 2009 Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigare, "Pink Wine of the Earth," Central Coast, California (Specialty 13670; $13.99). Made from an inventive blend of grenache, grenache blanc, roussanne and cinsault that includes white-skinned grapes, Grahm's beguiling wine nonetheless captures the carefree spirit and style of classic dry rosés.

The light dusky-pink color offers strawberry and floral aromas opening to round cherry and citrus flavors. Vibrant, refreshing acidity plays off the dry, nicely balanced finish. Lots of fun to drink. Highly recommended.

Food pairings:

Salade Niçoise blends rare tuna, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, olive oil and anchovies to match superbly with the recommended wines. You can also pair the wines with baguette slices topped with fresh tapenade. Or try them with lightly pan-fried asparagus spears and fresh mozzarella wrapped with prosciutto ham and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Yum.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)