STOCK clerk at the Italian Wine Merchants on East 16th Street is an enviable summer job for two reasons.First, owner Sergio Esposito keeps the basement stockroom-cum-wine cellar at exactly 57 degrees. That’s four degrees higher than the rest of the year, but he doesn’t want to shock the wines when customers take them out into the hot street. Second, Esposito is so convinced heat is bad for wine, he goes weeks without bringing in new shipments – lest a truck break down in the baking summer sun.

A cool head is also behind Esposito’s summer wine pick. Dolcetto is traditionally a simple, tannic, easygoing Italian red. Lately, several producers have begun making a more concentrated, smoother version. “More hedonistic,” Esposito says. The trick is to toss the wines in the fridge for 20 minutes. The chill focuses the flavor and creates a sense of lightness.

The San Romano Dolcetto di Dogliani 1998 ($16), made in the new style, works with just about anything on the grill. The Cavallotto Dolcetto d’Alba Bricco Boschis 1999 ($12) is in the traditional mode, juicy and light. Italian Wine Merchants is at 108 E. 16th St.