On a recent spring afternoon, as a hot, dry Santa Ana sent temperatures soaring throughout Southern California, I made my annual trek to Home Depot for barbecue supplies. The wines I've selected for this week's tasting notes reflect my mood that day. They are summer wines, meaning they're sumptuous and easy to drink and will complement the savory, smoky aromas coming off grills across America any day now.

And they're all easy on the wallet, making them an added bonus for those who must (as in they wouldn't think of pouring obviously cheap swill) serve good wine or bust.

But there's much more to a successful barbecue than buying good meat and loading up on Wine Talk's weekly picks. A serious "grillmeister" and host must have guidelines. So here goes.

Rule No. 1: Lighten up. Choose wines that aren't too tannic, overly oaked or alcoholic because those aspects will be heightened on a warm day and overwhelm the flavors of summer. Serve wines that emphasize fruit purity and balance. When grilling (tongs in one hand, a glass of vino in the other) I tend to enjoy fresh rose wines bursting with fruit, pinot grigio, albarino, gruner veltliner or sauvignon blanc. I save the reds for the table. Beaujolais, Rioja crianzas, barbera, dolcetto and Cotes-du-Rhone are perfect for the picnic table. And pinot noir might come into play if I've cooked up a chunk of fresh salmon or a thick steak.

Rule No. 2: Chill out. I'm talking about the serving temperature of your reds. Most everyone understands sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot gris, riesling and such need to be iced down. Most everyone misses the boat on the red wines, serving them too warm. Warm cabernet, to use but one example, will taste astringent and alcoholic. On a warm day it's perfectly fine to bury the reds in the ice for 10 to 15 minutes. In fact, at my barbecues it's required.

Rule No. 3: Kick back. Pairing the right wine with each dish is right up your alley — if you're a sommelier in a Michelin three-star restaurant. It's not so important when gathering with friends around the backyard Viking. For one thing, barbecues are generally a potpourri of ingredients ranging from sweet to savory, where aromas of herbs and condiments abound, and no one wine suits all of the dishes being served. Not to worry. A broad selection of whites and reds that are fruit-driven and well balanced will prove versatile enough to cope with just about anything you might throw on the grill.

This is my recipe for a successful summer barbecue. It's as easy as 1-2-3.

BEST BUYS

Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value.

Tapena 2007 Tempranillo, Spain ($10) — The goofy label aside (very attractive that fork that appears to have been drawn by a first-grader) Tapena's Tempranillo should be on every value-driven wine enthusiast's short list. Sourcing grapes from the vast Tierra de Castilla south of Madrid, Tapena makes sun-kissed wines that are soft, plush and fleshy. The tempranillo exhibits aromas of plum and black cherry and shows nuances of violet and spice on the nose. It lacks the structure to be a truly great wine, but its simple pleasures are more than you might anticipate at the price. Rating: 87.

Villa Antinori 2008 Bianco, Italy ($13) — Tuscan whites are traditionally simple wines meant to wash down antipasti and set the palate for the more serious food and drink to come. Their big achievement used to be "freshness" at a time when most Tuscan whites were brown and oxidized. In recent years, producers such as Antinori have kicked it up several notches and the white wines of Tuscany, for example the Villa Antinori Bianco, are infinitely more interesting and satisfying. The Antinori Bianco is a complex blend of trebbiano, malvasia, chardonnay, pinot bianco and pinot grigio. It shows flavors of fresh lime, pear and green apple, with a hint of spice. Rating: 86.

Miguel Torres 2008 Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, Spain ($11) — Stylistically the opposite of Torres' restrained Sangre de Toro rose, Santa Digna delivers an abundance of mouthwatering strawberry and plum fruit. It's a rich, powerful rose that has the oomph to stand up to tapas, grilled fish and even grilled sausages. Rating: 86.

TASTING NOTES

St. Supery 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley ($20) — St. Supery's sauvignon is atypical of the Napa Valley, displaying fresh citrus aromas such as grapefruit and lime rather than the more common flavor profile of peach and melon that seems to be the signature of Napa Valley sauvignon. This is a style that St. Supery has embraced for nearly two decades and it works. The '08 is lively and pungent, with a fair amount of richness through mid-palate before finishing crisp and clean. Rating: 91.

Hess 2006 Allomi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($25) — There are few if any other single-vineyard estate-grown Napa Valley cabernet sauvignons at this price. That fact alone might drive me to pick up a case or two, but rest assured you can purchase this wine on the merits as well. It's made in the supple, fleshy style currently in fashion, with bold, ripe flavors of cassis, blackberry and plum; shows a hint of mocha; and has just the right touch of oak vanillin after ageing 18 months in American oak barrels. Rating: 90.

To find out more about Robert Whitley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.