2002 SoloRosa California Rose

Think roses are wimpy? This bottle might change your mind. It’s the second release from SoloRosa, the only winery in the country devoted entirely to roses. Rose-petal pink, the 2002 is bone-dry, packed with fruit and accented with a firm acidity (all the better to go with food). Made from a blend of Sangiovese, Syrah and Merlot and barrel-fermented in older French casks, this beguiling California rose makes a fine aperitif, but it can also hold its own against aioli, grilled fish and vegetables, and almost anything else.

This well-crafted rose, in fact, may be the perfect summer wine.

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Quick swirl

Region: California

Price: About $13

Style: Clean and fresh, absolutely dry.

Food it goes with: Salads, grilled fish and seafood, fish soup, roast chicken, aioli -- just about everything.

Where you find it: Fine wine retailers, including Bristol Farms.

--S. Irene Virbila