On a sunny afternoon in March, chef and Seattle Kitchen host Tom Douglas found himself craving a summertime beverage. He went to one of his restaurants and ordered a rosé.

Much to his chagrin, Tom learned that a good rosé is like a nice pair of white pants: It’s not something you’re supposed to see (or drink) until Memorial Day.

But with sunshine beaming down onto the Seattle area, Tom made sure his restaurants were stocked, and asked wine purveyor Mike Teer to join KIRO Radio’s Seattle Kitchen to share his tips for picking a rosé – as well as sharing his favorites.

“There have been a few on the market, people started releasing them earlier,” explains Teer. Rosés are best served fresh – this year you’ll want a 2012 vintage.

Most rosé, according to Teer, are made in a style, with fewer sulfurs, and should be enjoyed by the end of the calendar year.

While the one-year rule is best followed, Teer says there are some exceptions. At his stores at Soul Wine in South Lake Union and Pike and Western at Pike Place Market, he’s made an effort to keep a rosé year-round. There are some that age well in the bottle, he says.

And just because that one calendar year has passed on your 2011 vintage rosé – the cooks in the Seattle Kitchen made sure to say that wine hasn’t gone bad – it just isn’t as fresh as it once was.

For now, when you venture to your local wine shop, Teer recommends a couple of early releases. For $20, Domaine d’Eole Coteaux d’Aix en Provence is a blend – or a soup as chef Thierry Rautureau refers to it.

But Teer says you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good rosé. From southern France, Chateau de Campuget is only $10.

While it’s still early for the Northwest, a few Washington rosés are hitting store shelves: From the Sleight of Hand Cellars, a rosé named ‘The Magician’s Assistant.’

For more expert chef tips listen to the Seattle Kitchen show on KIRO Radio, Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. Available anytime ON DEMAND at KIRORadio.com.