Grab Some Wine Fast!
By Ricky Mollohan
It’s here and in full-force! Spring is here and summer isn’t far behind. So what will you be drinking this year while you enjoy some of the best weather of the year?
Chardonnay? Okay. To each his/her own, but I’m talking about those amazing “sippin” wines that everyone loves to wash down on the patio, during a barbeque or just to quench your thirst, albeit in a very adult fashion.
Maybe you say Sauvignon Blanc? Yes, there are a ton of great ones, and the New Zealanders certainly hold their own during the spring months and on into the summer.
Maybe you like a little sweetness in your wine, and Riesling is your go-to? No problems there either, especially when you find a killer-priced Semi-Dry Riesling from Washington State, Germany, France or even Australia.
But let’s get you into something new, fresh, exciting, and tasty for the spring of 2012.
And to kick off my suggestions of wines not mentioned above, you have to try a Torrontes from Argentina ASAP! This flagship white grape from the beautiful country of Argentina is a no-brainer for almost any sunny day! Typical Torrontes will offer you very crisp, lively, highly-aromatic notes of bright citrus, tart green apple, apricot, peach, and beautiful acidity. There are a ton of them on the market these days and any wine shop will carry a good one or two in the $10-$18 range per bottle.
Next up is a varietal that’s native to Austria, Gruner Veltliner. Sounds cool huh? Well, in the big cities of New York and Los Angeles, Gruner is all that and then some! This lean, petrol-nosed, ripe, clean, pretty wine is usually a bit drier than the aforementioned Torrontes, but don’t take my word for it…get one for yourself for anywhere from $12-$20 a bottle. And then just sit around saying “Gruh-nur Velt-lin-er” because it sounds so cool.
How about one more “new” grape to make your spring very, very happy. And yes, it’s another white wine because, well, tis the season! And grape number three is one that reigns supreme at my favorite wine bar: Vinho Verde from Portugal! Didn’t know about Vinho Verde? Thought Portugal was only about making Port? Oh no, they do it all, and they do this particular “green grape” better than anyone else in the world due to their early, hot summer that allows them to pick this uber-fresh grape mid-late summer every year and in your mouth by spring! Vinho Verde is light and probably as refreshing as it gets for a spring white, with zesty, clean, tart fruit aromas and lip-smacking acidity that finishes with touches of honeydew melon, pear, apple, and green papaya. You simply can’t go wrong with it for the money either. Most Vinho Verde (make sure you get one that’s 2010 or 2011 vintage and not older than that) sells for as low as $8 a bottle and generally no more than $12/$13.
Good luck with your Spring drinking everyone!
