2006 Chateau Pradeaux Bandol rose

‘Tis the season for rose and it will be for months, so it’s time to stock up. Bandol roses are the cream of the French crop. This one is from Chateau Pradeaux, which has been owned by the same family since before the French Revolution, and it’s a beauty. Made from a blend of Mourvedre (the grape that makes the alluring Bandol rouge) with Grenache and Cinsault, it is dry and full-bodied, with plenty of southern French charm and a lovely, flowery bouquet.

On a summer evening, it makes a wonderful aperitif, served with dark, oil-cured olives and maybe some little toasts topped with tomatoes and basil or a fresh goat cheese. For a lunch, serve it with vegetable omelets and frittatas, with summery soups and light pastas. It works well with grilled fish, and is brilliant with shrimp and Thai or Indian food.

Quick swirl

Region: Provence

Price: About $24

Style: Dry and full-bodied

Food it goes with: Omelets and frittatas, summery soups, light pastas, grilled fish, Thai or Indian food

Where you find it: Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463, hitimewine.net; Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese in Los Angeles, (323) 856-8699; Silver Lake Wine in Los Angeles, (323) 662-9024, silverlakewine.com; and Woodland Hills Wine Co. in Woodland Hills, (818) 222-1111, whwc.com.

-- S. Irene Virbila