Rosés of all hues.

STONEWALL — Things were pretty in pink Saturday as Becker Vineyards hosted its annual Rambling Rosé panel.

The two sold-out sessions, sponsored by Culinaria, featured a half-dozen rosés from France, Texas and California that the panelists tasted blindly while discussing the wines and their fondness for rosé with those in attendance.

The growing popularity of rosé could be seen by the number of attendees who admitted that they had bottles of the summertime favorite at home. Several years ago, very few raised their hands when asked if they drank rosé; this year, more than a dozen hands shot into the air at the same question.

What’s the appeal?

In Texas, the eternal summer with days topping 100 for great stretches is a starter. As Richard Becker told the gathering, rosé is one of the two wines that the French served iced down (Champagne is the other). That means, dry, icy rosé is a great way to chill out.

Richard Becker inspects recently harvested grapes.

It’s also a great food wine, whether you’re serving seafood, a steak or roast chicken. As moderator Steven Krueger, sommelier for the Westin La Cantera, pointed out, it’s the perfect Thanksgiving wine, because it is so versatile.

This was brought home by a lamb dish with a spicy mustard, micro herbs and deconstructed peas and carrots, all prepared by chef John Brand of Las Canarias and Ostra.

Of the rosés sampled, four were from France, including the brightly acidic Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé, the subtle Whispering Angel from Chateau d’Esclans, the Syrah-based Sybel from Yves Cuilleron, and the grenache-based Le Poussin. California was the home of the “deeper rosé “(meaning almost red) from IM, or Isabel Mondavi, which had a touch of residual sugar.

The fresh and vibrant Becker Vineyards Provençal ably demonstrated what Texas can bring to rosé.

Among the other panelists were Woody de Luna of Vintages 2.0, artist and wine lover Harold Wood, Becker Vineyards’ new winemaker Jonathan Leahy and myself.

Chef John Brand (left) and sous chef Gene Moss.

And the message of it all: Go out and grab a rosé. Find out for yourself why this is such a rewarding, refreshing wine.

Visitors to the winery, and they were out in throngs Saturday, also got to see the grapes come in as harvest time is underway. The volume is much greater this year than last year, when the drought affected vineyards across the state. But this a similarity between the two harvests: Last year’s grapes had concentrated flavor, and so do this year’s grapes, Becker said.

Richard and Bunny Becker are also putting the finishing touches on a new private tasting area that’s underneath the main tasting room. The former barrel room has a lengthy table for tastings or dinners. There’s also an area that houses a library of the winery’s age-worthy wines, a few of which date back to the winery’s early days.

The winery started 20 years ago, as one of the Beckers’ sons, Joe, said. He was on hand to offer a few stories of how his mother and he planted the first vineyards around the property back in 1992, though the first wine wasn’t bottled for another three years.

Now the winery bottles more than 100,000 cases a year in a variety of styles, such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as grapes relatively new to Texas, including Barbera and Tempranillo.

Workers feed grapes into the crusher destemmer.

Summer is upon us, in case you hadn’t noticed. And that means it’s time for the fifth annual Summer of Riesling celebration.

Never heard of the Summer of Riesling?

We hadn’t either. But we’re always in the mood for a good Riesling. And that’s what this global campaign is about, making sure as many people as possible know the magic — and the endless fun — of a fine Riesling.

Locally, the folks at Godai Sushi Bar, 11203 West Ave., and the Monterey, 1127 S. St. Mary’s St., are taking part by offering Rieslings by the glass to go with their food. If you don’t know how good that is, just taste sushi with Riesling. The combination is outrageously good, as is pairing a bold Riesling with Benton’s Country Ham and pimento cheese at the Monterey.

Throughout the month of July, the focus is on German Rieslings, noted for their great complexity, bright acidity, and a wealth of flavors. Wine merchant Woody de Luna, considered to be one of the foremost Riesling experts in the world, is promoting German Rieslings through his shop, Vintages 2.0, 8603 Crownhill Blvd.

A couple of the wines he’s offering, accompanied by his descriptions:

• 2008 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett — Classic Mosel delicacy (8% alcohol) with that sorbet tension between fruit and acidity. From the “Sun Dial” vineyard (Sonnenuhr) that is a continuation from Wehlen’s side of this the greatest Mosel vineyard.
• 2009 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken — From “Heaven’s Kingdom” vineyard (so called because the vineyard is above the village church) this dryish, fresh wine filled with heirloom apple scents and dry Asian spice. Try with grilled scallops.

These are only two of the many Rieslings Vintages 2.0 carries. The shop is open is open Monday-Friday. For information, call (210) 410-0296.

Riesling is a grape that flourishes around the world producing wines that express their terroir in varied and wonderful ways. It grows in Germany, of course, but also in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, California, New York and Texas.. Some are dry and steely, some are fruity with great acid, and some are sweet. All show how versatile the grape can be.

For more information on the Summer of Riesling, click here.

Johnny Hernandez's deconstructed chile en nogada featured aspic versions of the pomegranate seeds, the walnut sauce and the poblano, the three colors of the Mexican flag.

Chef Jason Dady talks with his diners at Chefs and Cellars.

Pigeon stuffed with foie gras and bacon. New York strip and shrimp with a roasted pepper stuffed with fresh vegetables. Chocolate mousse with brandied cherries and red velvet crumbles. 1981 Chateau Margaux.

These were some of the many treats that diners were exposed to during Culinaria’s annual Chefs and Cellars dinners at the Culinary Institute of America’s San Antonio kitchens.

Five of the city’s best chefs — John Brand from Las Canarias and Ostra, Jason Dady from the Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills and others, Johnny Hernandez from La Gloria and True Flavors catering, Jesse Perez from Alamo Cafe, and Andrew Weissman from Il Sogno and the Sandbar — teamed up with wine collectors from the area to present a feast of flavors.

Jesse Perez prepares a course for his diners.

Guests were seated with an individual chef, who presented the multi-course meal as if it were a chef’s table at a private restaurant. Bonnie Walker and I were lucky enough to be seated with Johnny Hernandez, who created a spectacular array of dishes to match wines chosen by local wine authority and educator Woody De Luna.

The end result offered course after course of spectacular Mexican food, from a salmon salpicon to a fig-topped Cajeta Pound Cake soaked in cream, each of which was paired with German Rieslings; perhaps California’s most sought-after Chardonnay, Stony Hill; a Sauvigny-les-Beaunes Burgundy that found a grateful home with both surf and turf; and a pair of lively Champagnes.

The lesson here was simple and clear: Great wines can work with great food, no matter where in the world each is from. Hernandez may have offered street food in the form of black bean-filled corn tortilla topped with fresh guacamole or cochinita pibil, but the dish was elevated to gastronomic heights when partnered with a 2003 Gunderloch Riesling Rothenberg Grosses Gewachs from Germany. I know first-hand from my family that the Germans wouldn’t know what to make of Mexican food, from low to high, but their wines proved a perfect  partner.

Everyone we spoke with during and after the dinner sang the praises of his or her individual chef, who not only prepared the food with his staff but also explained the dishes and the approach each took.

Jason Dady served pigeons stuffed with foie gras and served with miso-corn and candied bacon.

There were some excellent wines from local cellars to match the dishes, including aged Sauternes, fine Bordeaux and Burgundies, and spectacular Chardonnays, both from California and France.

The interior of the stretch limousine from Lonestar Limousines, which helped us drink and (not) drive safely.

Because of the great amount of great wine poured, Bonnie and I engaged the services of Lonestar Limousine, a luxury service that made sure we enjoyed every last drop of wine poured without driving home irresponsibly in the blessed rain.