To me (and it seems everyone else of late) the summer months are all about Rosé.  The color, crisp temperature, and flavor seem perfectly suited for warmer weather. And when it comes to dining out, or entertaining at home, Rosé pairs beautifully with the fresh ingredients of the season.

For a recent dinner party at the Richmond (pictured left) I asked my local wine merchant for a reccomendation. I wanted a Rosé which could take me through my whole menu.  From Crab Cakes to Gazpacho, from Beef Tenderloin to Lemon Chiffon pie.  And I wanted a bottle that met somewhere between overly sweet and dry and came in at around $10 a bottle.

He hit the nail right on the head with the Villa des Agnes 2011 Old Vines Rosé. From France, the winery is situated on the ruins of an ancient Roman Villa (and the angel on the label makes a great nemonic for wine novices like myself.)  Described as “a light-bodied wine, intensely crisp and vividly fresh, it offers complex aromas of strawberries and red currants, with a hint of quince” it is a winner.  In fact so much so that a case seemed to disappear quickly at our seated celebration.

Also noted is a new trend of seeing Rosé on tap at some of the country’s hottest restaurants.  I recently enjoyed way too many glasses at The Nomad in NYC. From their sexy dark library bar, through four exquisite courses in the atrium, the wine anchored my experience. There the 20L Kegs of 2011 Syrah/Grenache from Bieler Pére et Fils, Coteaux D’iax en Provence, France come out at $10 a glass.