Hot weather is upon us. This means when I get home from a hard day tasting, talking about and stocking wine, it’s time to relax with a glass of my own. And when it’s hot outside I want something refreshing that makes me happy. While I always have a bottle or two of white in my fridge, more and more I find myself reaching for the rosé.

And no, I’m not talking about the Portuguese rosé of everyone’s youth. Nor am I talking about the sticky sweet White Zinfandels or White Merlots struggling to stay just outside the jug wine aisle. I’m talking about proper dry rosé. The kind of wine that is as refreshing as it is flavorful. The kind of wine that is impossible to drink while in a bad mood. It’s the kind of wine that real wine lovers aren’t afraid to drink.

It’s vibrant, flavorful and more importantly, cheap. With the exception of some sparklers from Champagne, most rosés are less than $20 (and my favorites hover closer to $10). It’s the perfect Florida porch wine and pairs well with just about any food. I have been known to pop a bottle whenever tacos are present. Rosé cools off spicy food perfectly, and pairs just as well with salads or BBQ.

Southern France makes some of the best rosés, but there are also gems to be found in Italy (Rosato), Spain and the United States. In the French section of your local ABC, you can pretty much guarantee it is going to be dry (and delicious). The only exception is Rosé d’Anjou, which tends to be on the sweet side. If you happen to be a White Zinfandel fan, though, definitely seek these out. The ABV will be a good indicator of the dryness (lack of sweetness) of the wine. Anything 12% or over will be nice and dry.

So why not give rosé a try this summer? Who knows? You might be surprised. And just in case you think I’m crazy for writing about pink wine, check out these other blogs by people who know a lot more about wine than myself (they're all wine supervisors at ABC!):  Ken Amendola, Paul Quaglini, Bill Stobbs and Kathleen Anderson.

Bill Dahl, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine consultant

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebilld