I had a deja vu experience last weekend while walking a favorite wine shop.  Like three years ago, the featured wine of this season is… Rosé?  It seems that again some sort of “100 monkey syndrome” has occurred in the wine world this summer.  The featured Summer wine du jour is the once maligned Rosé.  Wine writers are referencing the French who have always appreciated their dry, fruity roses as a matter of course with light, savory foods as well as the increasingly available California Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and even Grenache Rosés.

Forget your past ghastly experiences with Mateus and Lancers or the cloyingly sweet white Zinfandels.  Unlike low quality blended Rosés, these French and American Rosés are made from red wine grapes with the juice being separated from the skins before much of the color has been transferred.  They combine the crispness of whites with some of the body of reds along with unique flavor notes of their own.  Hints of berries (particularily strawberries), tea and melon at times with a lovely mineral finish.  And above all, with the exception of the medium-dry Anjou Rosés of the Loire, they are refreshingly dry.  Look for Rosés from southern France like Bandol, Tavel or Costières de Nîmes.
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Selections from Leslie Sbrocco in Epicurious.com Tasting Notes:

2009 La Vieille Ferme, Cotes du Ventoux, France $8 Crafted by the famous Perrin family, this Grenache-based pink hails from the South of France and is priced to encourage imbibing.

2009 Marques de Caceres, Rioja, Spain $9 Light and bright, this is one of my perennial pink picks delivering pure pleasure at an affordable price.

2009 Goats do Roam Rose, South Africa $10 Fleshy yet still fruity, this Syrah and Mourvedre-based rose with a dash of gamay noir is unique. Buy it by the case for outdoor parties.

2009 Pedroncelli Dry Rose of Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, California $10 Not white Zin, this hearty dry pink showcases dark berry fruit layered with a peppery kick.

2009 Cuvee du Golfe de Saint-Tropez, France $12 Ah, reminds me of a beach day in Saint-Tropez. Bright and light with elegant French character, this rose is also simply fun to drink.

2009 Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rose, Pfalz, Germany $13 Salmon-hued and fresh with juicy berry notes, serve the Villa Wolf well chilled with salads or grilled vegetables.

2009 Valley of the Moon, Rosato di Sangiovese, Sonoma County, California $14Packed with bright cherry flavors but also appealing savory notes, there’s a distinct spicy hit on the finish that makes you want another glass.

2009 Quivira Grenache Rose, Dry Creek Valley, California $15 A delicious discovery especially for those who covet wines made from biodynamically-grown grapes. Intense yet easy-drinking.

2009 I’M Wines “Isabel Mondavi” Deep Rose, Napa Valley, California $16 Sumptuous and powerful enough to please red wine drinkers, the Cabernet Sauvignon-based Rose is tops when pairing full-flavored fare.

2009 Beckmen Vineyards, Grenache Rose, Santa Ynez Valley, California $18 Deeply-hued and lush, this vineyard-designated wine is serious but still seriously light-hearted

2009 Blackbird Vineyards “Arriviste” Rose, Napa Valley, California $24 From one of Napa’s hottest producers, this Bordeaux-style Rose made with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc impresses with its complexity.