Nice wine for spring

The days are getting longer! The sun is showing itself more and more often. Spring! Are you choosing a different kind of wine now? I do! In spring and summer, I prefer a crisp white wine to a strong red. But do you want something other than a fresh and sour sauvignon blanc in the garden or on the terrace? I give you my top 5 spring wines that are just that little bit different. And with the best (spring) dishes to go with them. So next time you go out on a terrace, ask for the wine list and see if they are on it! Or bring them home to enjoy!

Vinho verde with salads or seafood

A deliciously fresh wine with a surprisingly small bubble is a vinho verde from northern Portugal. The wine is not green as the name suggests but is called green wine because it is best drunk young.

They go very well with light summer salads because of their light taste. But this wine also goes well with shellfish such as oysters, lobster and shrimp.

Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris at Easter Brunch

When you think of spring, Easter brunch is part of it. And let’s face it, eggs are difficult to pair with wine. After all, eggs have very low acidity. Most white wines have higher acidity. The wine then tastes extra sour after a bite of egg. So what to choose at Easter brunch? In any case, choose a wine with soft acidity and just about no sweetness. For example, a pinot blanc or a pinot gris from Alsace. Delicious with quiche, stuffed eggs or egg salad.

Rosé with asparagus

A rosé is actually a red wine whose skins ferment very briefly so that they give off some color but also some firmness. Deliciously fresh and a real nice-weather drink. My favorite is a dry rosé from Provence with hints of raspberry and strawberry as well as spiciness and bitterness due to the light tannins.

And did you know that this rosé also goes well with the typical spring vegetable asparagus? The slight bitterness of the asparagus combines well with the tannins in this rosé.

Pinot noir with the BBQ

Chilled red wines are also gaining popularity, especially as the weather gets warmer. One chilled red wine that I have come to appreciate more and more is a pinot noir. Besides a pinot noir, you can also drink a cabernet franc or gamay chilled just fine. Half an hour in the refrigerator and it is sufficiently chilled between 14 and 16 degrees. And these chilled red wines go perfectly with the BBQ, with grilled vegetables, grilled tuna or a delicious paella.

Bubbles: the all time favorite

As far as I’m concerned, there is only one wine that goes with (almost) everything and tastes great in both summer and winter. And that is Champagne. The best combination is of course Champagne with oysters. But also fattier fish such as salmon go well with Champagne because the bubbles refresh your mouth and break down the greasiness of the fish. And did you know that Champagne enhances the taste of truffles and mushrooms?

And that vice versa mushrooms and truffle enhance the taste of Champagne. So it’s great to make a risotto with mushrooms or a pasta with pecorino cheese and truffle. But also with a dessert a Champagne fits perfectly provided the dessert is not too sweet. And do you think a Champagne is too expensive? Then take a Cava; made the same way as Champagne but a lot cheaper.

Enjoy the Spring!

Greetings,

Silvia from Vasco Wine

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Photos: www.canva.com