(2) Rose wines

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: soft
• Look for at: wine.com

This rosé from Valencia came home with me for two reasons. First, the wine is made from Bobal, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bobal is yet another grape in my quest for membership in De Long’s Wine Century Club. Second, the wine was recommended by my good friend Michael (not the Michael of this website) at Central Market. I can now add a third reason, it is a good rosé. With a pleasant nose of watermelon and plums and a mouth full of light red fruit and watermelon, this is a summer wine. It paired well with grilled quail. ($11)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

This rosé from the south of France is one of my favorite wines of the summer. Sabine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault that shows watermelon, raspberry, dried flowers, and a smooth dry finish. The 13.5% alcohol may show through if you are sensitive to that sort of thing. ($11.75)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: soft
• Look for at: wine.com

This big rosé from the Carinena region of Spain is no wimp. Composed of 50% Cabernet and 50% Tempranillo, this rosé has muscle. The must was allowed 12 hours of contact time with the skin before it was drawn off, giving the wine a deep strawberry color. The nose shows rich strawberries with floral overtones. In the mouth, the wine is full, with plenty of structure and a long finish. Parker gave this wine a 90, which I think is a bit high, but this is a great value nonetheless. I would pair this Rosé with pork or even a grilled hamburger. ($7.5-10)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

This village selection is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah (CGS) produced from 40 year old vines. Like many of the ’07 CGS blends, this one was a fine nose of peaches and strawberries. In the mouth, this rosé is not as elegant as some of the others, but it does provide nice red fruit with a round feel. ($18-22)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

This estate grown rosé is full of strawberry and cranberry in the nose. It follows with a mouth full of red berries and a long finish. This rosé is rounder and a bit lower in acid than the French rosés, but it has lots of body with an elegant mouth feel. If you can find this, give it a try, because it is an excellent summer drink. ($20-23)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

Triennes rosé is from the Var region in the South of France. The region is known for easy drinking rosé, and this blend of Cinsault, Syrah, and Merlot fits the bill. For the money, this is my favorite rosé so far this year. The wine has a refreshing nose of candied red fruit and a great mouth feel. Medium bodied with good acid, a long finish, and only 12.5% alcohol, this wine is great for a hot summer day. ($15-18)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

The Commaderie is produced from grapes selected throughout Provence. Like its big brother, the Chateau de Peyrassol Rosé, the Commaderie is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah. The ’07 is a very drinkable wine with a nose of peaches and strawberries. The wine is medium bodied and round in the mouth. This is another of the great rosé wines that are available this summer. ($19–21)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

This rosé blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah is the flag ship rosé from Chateau de Peyrassol. The ’07 is an elegant wine with a nose of flowers, peaches, and red fruit. The wine is medium-full bodied with a great mouth feel and a long finish. It would work with lots of summer foods, like grilled fish or roast pork. ($27–30)