Wine of the week: Presto Rosé Brut

Let's kick back and just have a pop by the pool. It's the middle of July and we don't want anything the least bit serious. That's where Presto Rosé Brut, a spumante sparkler widely available at $8 or $9, comes in. It isn't kids' stuff, but the first words that enter your mind as you sip may well be "pink" and "cotton candy."

One of the best things about this unpretentious Italian cooler is its bubbles; they are small and persistent, which isn't always the case with spumante. Another is its lovely shell pink color, which evokes a subtropical sunset. Its nose is hardly noticeable, with only the lightest hint of rosewater. On the tongue the wine is light and bright, the most prominent fruit being clementine, a variety of mandarin orange sometimes known as Algerian tangerine. The finish is equally crisp and shows a trace of tart lime.

In short, this undemanding wine goes down easy as a stand-alone, cooling beverage or aperitif. If pairing it with food, go for your very lightest fare. A fresh fruit salad would be just right.

By Colette and John Bancroft. She is the Times' book editor, and he is a freelance writer specializing in food, wine and travel.