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Say hello to warmer weather and more sunshine with these five, spring-ready varietals.
April 1, 2022
With longer days, warmer weather, and the occasional refreshing rain shower, it’s safe to say the Spring has finally sprung. As you start to rearrange your closet for the season, it might be time for your wine cellar to follow suit.
As the wine growing process is extremely weather-dependent, you may notice that the freshest wines out on the market are catered to the warmer weather. If you’re already a member of a wine club, you might be seeing a certain subset of wine varietals arriving at your door this spring. If you’re not a wine club member, you’re not too late: most wine clubs can be joined anytime and only take a week to receive your first shipment.
In keeping your palate light and springy, these are the wines you might encounter alongside the warmer weather:
1) Sauvignon Blanc
Description: Hailing from the Bordeaux region of France, this white is often considered the quintessential sip of springtime. The taste contains notes of lime, green apple, passion fruit, and white peach. When asked for an overall description, wine experts love to describe the flavor as “grassy” or “earthy,” the perfect flavor association for spring.
Food Pairing: The soft texture and mellow flavor of goat cheese often pair well with the earthy overtones of this wine.
Where/When to Sip: With a soft blanket, a packet of crackers, and a small tub of goat cheese; sauvignon blanc makes the perfect picnic wine.
2) Pinot Noir
Description: Fruity and acidic, but balanced by a light body, this red wine from Burgundy, France fits right alongside white wines as a spring-ready sipper. Half fruity, half earthy, wine tasters say that pinot noir expresses notes of cherry, raspberry, and mushroom.
Food Pairing: Light body, light protein: pinot noir pairs well with a light fish, such as salmon or mahi-mahi.
Where/When to Sip: The ultimate dinner-side companion, pair a bottle of pinot noir with a meal enjoyed on an outdoor deck or patio.
3) Riesling
Description: German-born, this lemonade-like white wine should have “spring” written right on the bottle. Depending on the ripeness of the grapes used for production, you may catch notes of limes, lemons, pineapples, apricots, or other citrus and exotic fruit flavors.
Food Pairing: Due to its lemonade-like acidity, spicy or sweet foods are the perfect partner to riesling's natural bite. On the spicy side, try cajun shrimp or Korean bibimbap. On the sweeter end, try roasted bell peppers or a refreshing fruit salad.
Where/When to Sip: Just like lemonade, riesling is best enjoyed when paired with something to ease the high acidity. Try a bottle of riesling at your favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant or dive.
4) Rosé
Description: Everyone’s springtime social media go-to, rosé wine boasts a blushing pink hue and tastes of mixed berries, apricot, and melon. Unlike what the rumor states, Rosé is not a blend of red and white wines —instead, this Instagram-savvy varietal is grown from a delicious blend of lightly-colored red grapes.
Food Pairing: Rosé pairs great with loud flavors that leave you feeling light: vegetable pizza, hummus with flatbread, pesto pasta, or anything friendly to the Mediterranean diet.
Where/When to Sip: Judging by what we’re seeing all over our socials, rosé is best enjoyed by a pool, on a beach, or on a yacht.
5) Prosecco
Description: Made from the Glera grape, this Italian sparkling wine is Champagne’s sweeter, less-expensive cousin. Try mixing prosecco with orange juice to create a mimosa; brunch’s favorite cocktail.
Food Pairing: Thanks to its light, dry, and bubbly nature, prosecco pairs well with richer and heavier foods, such as shellfish, fettucini alfredo, or Margherita pizza. When in mimosa form, pair with your brunch must-haves: pancakes, omelets, fresh fruit, bacon, and sausage.
Where/When to Sip: True to its carbonated nature, prosecco is perfect for a family dinner, grad party, or any other celebratory occasion. Mixed with orange juice, mimosas are the perfect fuel for a boozy Saturday brunch with friends.
The Perfect Time to Join
From the patio to the picnic, we hope your spring can bloom more fully with these five seasonal wine recommendations.
If you’d like to get in on the seasonal fun, consider joining a wine club. After signing up and noting your tasting habits, many wine clubs will pack your spring-time shipments with these seasonal favorites and more.
Happy sipping!
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