Gérald Lafont and Baptiste Olivier are known throughout France as two of Rhône Valley's top oenologists. The consulting work that they have done for many of the best estates in the region, which includes overseeing production, from the planting of vines to the corking of the bottles, has given them access to a percentage of the grape yields from some of the Rhône's most highly-acclaimed vineyards. But their work is not confined to the Rhône. They also consult with a number of properties in Provence, the heart of rosé wine country. So it was only natural for them to start making a Provençal rosé. It should come as no surprise then that it has earned a permanent place at my table, in my cellar and on the shelves of my shop.

The vineyards of the Côtes de Provence are drenched with the Mediterranean sun, and this rosé offering from Olivier and Lafont is sunshine in a glass: an ideal way to enjoy spring and summer. This is such a refreshing and easy-drinking wine; it continues to be one of our staff's — and customers' — favorite rosés. It pours a translucent pink, lightly rimmed with pale blue. The wine is gorgeously fragrant; notes of ripe peach, apricot and nectarine fruits plume from the glass. This dry rosé is light and vibrant on the palate, with flavors of fresh-picked strawberry and pineapple balanced with persistent minerality and a delicate acidity. This is one of our most versatile rosé pairings for fresh spring salads, pizza or anything off the grill. The Olivier & Lafont Côtes de Provence rosé — to no one's surprise — will be a staple at my house all year long!