Wine of the Week

With the heat already running over 100 degrees, nothing is better for a hot Texas summer than an ice-cold, bone-dry Rosé. While some people still think of Rosés as icky sweet white Zinfandels, the truth is that foodies and chefs everywhere prize the dry Rosé's ability to not only match up perfectly with foods, but to refresh the palate with every sip. Luckily for those of us who love Rosé, low demand means high supply at low prices, so it's often possible to get some of the best wines available at $15 or less. We had the opportunity to taste three great examples recently. The most delicate and easiest to drink was Terredora di Paolo's Rosæ­novae ($15), a delightful Italian wine from the Campania area. It's made from the free run juice of the Aglianico grape. This method provides the least amount of violence to the grape, and offers a light, fragrant drink ideal for a hot summer evening.

The other two wines we enjoyed were both from France. Chapoutier's Belleruche Rosé ($12) from the Côtes du Rhône is made from Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah; it's much more robust, something capable of standing up to a grilled burger or a pizza. Château Routas Rouvière Rosé ($11), from the Coteaux Varois en Provence, is made from the same grapes, but with more Cinsault than Grenache. This enhances the very slight strawberry aromas. I think it makes a perfect pairing with a lamb burger or fish tacos.

The Rosænovae wine will be available at the Austin Wine Merchant, East End Wines, and Whip In in about a week. The Château Routas is available at the Austin Wine Merchant, Beverage World, and Whip In, and the Belleruche is available at better wine shops and grocery stores all over town.