Millbrook "Hunt Country" Rosé 2010, from New York

Great wine lists should be scattered with unexpected gems, and here's one of my favorite surprises from Talula's Garden - a delightful "Hunt Country" rosé from Millbrook Vineyards in New York. Given the almost three decade history of this vineyard as a Hudson Valley wine pioneer (not to mention proprietor John Dyson, the wealthy former New York politico who also owns Williams Selyem, maker of one of Sonoma County's most sought-after cult pinot noirs), I shouldn't be so surprised. But Talula's impressively wine-savvy staff was right to urge us to buy a bottle to cover our meal. It's one of the cellar's more affordable options, at $14 a glass or $49 a bottle, and this rosé is an incredibly versatile choice to pair with the summer menu. A blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and cab franc, it's at once refreshingly pithy, juicy with a sweet-tart crush reminiscent of strawberries, and substantial with a fleshy, savory edge that was spot-on from the grapefruit-glazed lobster to the bacon-braised rabbit with mushrooms.

- Craig LaBan

Millbrook "Hunt Country" Rosé 2010, $49 a bottle or $12 a glass at Talula's Garden, 210 W. Washington Square, 215-592-7787.