Our Wine Council, based in Temecula, southern California, recently marked the arrival of summer - with its al fresco dining and long, sunny days - by tasting and pairing six delightful rosés. Two are from France, three from Italy, (all distributed by fine wine importing merchants Taub Family Selections), and the sixth from a local Temecula winery. 

Most rosés derive their color from a brief contact (less than 24 hours) with grape skins. Spanning the color spectrum from a pale, sheer blush of pink to a darker, vibrant magenta, rosé wine can be sweet or dry, still or sparkling.  The average alcohol by volume (ABV) of the wine is 12 percent (medium body), with sweeter rosés falling below that and drier one rising above.