Winemakers and Matthiasson Winery owners Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson say that "Winemaking for us is a natural extension of farming, and most of our grapes come from the seven vineyards that we farm in Napa and Sonoma. We love to explore classical expressions of different varieties, some well-known like Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon, and some rare like Ribolla Gialla or Refosco Dal Peduncula Rosso. In all cases we try to respect the purity of the variety and the individuality of the site. Our wines are refreshing, complement food, and are moderate in alcohol. By using our site-specific farming methods to grow intense fruit, coupled with careful restraint in the cellar, we strive to produce wine that is full flavored but impeccably balanced."

Well, food-friendly, full-flavored and impeccably balanced perfectly describe a remarkable Rosé wine I really had the good fortune to taste: Matthiasson 2015 Rosé ($18.99).

The 2015  Rosé was made from a combination of Grenache, Syrah, Mouvèdre, and Counoise from the Windmill vineyard in the Dunnigan Hills, and Syrah grapes from the Hurley Vineyard in Napa Valley.

It's a crisp wine with good acidity (no malolactic fermentation) and a fairly low alcohol level of just 11.6 percent, aged sur lees in stainless steel.  Matthiasson 2015 Rosé is very versatile and would complement dishes ranging from poultry and rabbit to lighter pastas and pork. I recently enjoyed it with a plate of garlicky and spicy aio e oio. 

Try it. This is an outstanding summer sipper.