Spring Wines

Now that I can finally sit out on our deck and enjoy the sights of spring I like to keep my wine "cellar" filled with delicious spring wines.

These include Reisling, Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Grigio, Albarino and Sauvignon Blanc, among others of course.

Please read on, and send me the name of your favorite spring wine.

In my book a spring wine is one that is light and meant to be drunk young. They are fresh and, the good ones, intriguing on the palate.

Riesling can be a great spring wine. It is a controversial wine as many people equate Riesling with sweet even cloying wine. There is a lot of second rate Riesling on store shelves. A trusted wine merchant can guide you away from these.

The important thing to know is that Rieslings are not just from Germany. French Alsatian Rieslings  are delicious along with those that come from Australia New Zealand or the Great Northwest.

If you subscribe to the NY Times you may have seen Eric Asimov's April article on Rieslings.

Gruner Veltliner is the wine of Austria. It is my favorite spring wine. Until a couple of years ago you rarely saw Gruner Veltliner in the States. My brother-in-law, Dan Slager, who spent much time studying in Austria, turned me on to this great wine.

A few nights ago a group of friends were together and we tasted 6 white wines for an upcoming event and the one Gruner we tasted was the unanimous favorite. It was recommended by Sharon over at Amanti Vino it is by the wine maker Gobelsburger.

Pinot Grigio is a very popular spring wine. It is not a favorite of mine because there are few that I find interesting. For that very reason they are also popular, many casual wine drinkers like simple consistent wines.

When I look for a Pinot Grigio I usually seek out a Pinot Gris, the French spelling of the grape. There are some terrific Alsatian Pinot Gris to be enjoyed. The best Italian Pinot Grigio is produced in Trentino-Alto Adige.

Albarino is a wonderful Spanish white wine. Two favorites are Naia or Basa. They are incredible bargains as are many Spanish wines.

Albarino is also a great wine for making white sangria. A delicious spring and summer drink.

Lastly Sauvignon Blanc is always a spring favorite. There are so many varieties that they deserve an article on their own.

Few people know of the Sauvignons produced in Northern Italy. They are worth searching out as they have wonderful quality all their own. Tenuta Villanova is a favorite.

Another good article on Spring Wines by Leslie Sbrocco is Eat Lite Drink White

Comments

[List of healthy foods]

i wanna taste that spring wines also..

[Peter]

Kristin

Thanks for point out the misspelling. The corrections have been made.

[Kristin]

I think you meant to spell Veltliner as such. It is spelled incorrectly in your article. People may get confused trying to fine a Gruner Vertliner. Regardless, I enjoyed your article. Some of my favorite white wines are Sauv. Blancs from the Loire Valley.

[Aggie Kuschner]

Hi Peter,

Great information on Spring Wines! I agree with you about Pinot Grigios; in general the taste is uninteresting and somewhat blend. I will look for the Pinot Gris from Alsace.

Can you recommend a sparkling blush wine that would be a good pairing with a cheese course?

Thanks and Love, Aggie