Pretty In Pink and Priced to Pour

If you’re anything like me, the moment the thermometer hits 70, I commit. Not to fitness. Not to clean eating. I commit, wholeheartedly and with zero regret, to rosé.

It’s not a phase—it’s a seasonal lifestyle. From that first warm breeze until the threat of frostbite returns, I’m a rosé girl. And while I aspire to drink like a French heiress, my budget reminds me I’m more Target-chic than Château life. So each summer, I set off on a noble quest: to find the elusive unicorn of pink wine—delicious, drinkable, and affordable enough to enjoy on a Tuesday.

There was the Whispering Angel summer, where I floated on pink wings until they clipped my wallet. Then came the Hampton Water era—Jon Bon Jovi’s wine baby—when I was a few sips away from changing my zip code to “Hamptons Adjacent.” And don’t get me started on Minerva, the rosé from Brad and Angelina’s Château Miraval. Honestly? That’s the best thing they ever produced (apologies to Shiloh).But this year? I found her. My glass-half-full, affordable, dependable daily pour: Villa Wolf Rosé. She’s pale salmon pink—because yes, color matters—and made from Pinot Noir, one of my forever favorite grapes. The taste? Light, crisp, a bit of raspberry, a splash of strawberry, and a finish with just enough zip to keep things interesting. Not quite Kool-Aid. Not quite Provence royalty. But perfectly chillable and extremely sip-worthy.

Best of all? I found her for $12 at Total Wine. A pink steal.

She pairs beautifully with everything—from summer salads to leftover pizza—but more importantly, she pairs with nothing at all. Just a porch, a patio, a patch of grass, or a “this meeting could’ve been an email” kind of day.

So here’s to finding your summer rosé soulmate. Mine wears a wolf on the label and doesn’t judge me when I drink her on a Tuesday at 4:59 p.m.