Spring always makes me want to cook. Maybe it’s the delight of walking into a market and suddenly, there they are–fresh baby peas and the earliest pencil-thin asparagus. Or maybe it’s the intoxicating smell of the air: cool and warm at the same time, signaling a relief from windows that have been clamped shut for months. Or maybe it’s walking in the Napa Valley where I live and seeing the very first tiny and heart-stoppingly-beautiful emerald green buds which have just emerged from the no-longer-dormant vines. Spring, the most eternal of surprises, always feels like a gift.
The best springtime wines are like Spring itself: vividly alive, bursting with purity, almost bouncy with freshness, and often minerally and botanical. Following are ten of my must-have-now white wine favorites from around the world. Click on any of these wines to buy it.
WAKEFIELD Riesling 2022 (Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia) $16
Australia is generally thought of a warm place that makes big red wines. But Australian Rieslings—from many cool pockets—are Australia’s best kept secrets. Here’s a delicious bone-dry example with intensely vivid lime and mango flavors. Sleek, taut and springing with freshness. 92 points KM
CANTINE ARGIOLAS “Is Argiolas” Vermentino di Sardegna 2022 (Sardinia, Italy) $22
This Vermentino (one of our favorite Italian varieties) leaps out of the glass like sea spray from a breaking wave. Vibrant citrus fruits, botanicals and stony minerality beg for a big plate of grilled seafood. 92 points TK
DOMAINE DE FIGUEIRASSE “Gris de Gris” Rose 2022 (Sable de Camargue, Provence, France) $18
The name “Gris de Gris” suggested this would be a “gray” wine made from Pinot Gris. It’s actually a pale pink rosé made from Grenache and Cinsault, and it’s very delicious. It reminded me of standing on the beach smelling the sand and salt air. Super refreshing and a steal to boot. 91 points KM
WEINGUT STADT KREMS Grüner Veltliner 2022 (Kremstal, Austria) $15
In our offices, everyone loves Grüner Veltliner for its peppery green flavors (like arugula), and we were shocked to discover this wine is less than $3 a glass! Limey and peppery, it’s fantastic with spring salads. 90 points KM
DOMAINE MICHEL BRÉGEON Muscadet Sèvre et Main Sur Lie 2022 (Muscadet, Loire Valley, France) $23
Taut. Crisp, Lemony. Oceanic. In other words, just like a classic Muscadet should be. With its crunchy acidity, this wine is fast as lightning and lively on the palate. Sauté up some shrimp, fresh fennel, and dill, and you’re in business. 90 points KM
CHÂTEAU CARBONNIEUX 2021 (Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France) $50
White Bordeaux can be pure magic, and Carbonnieux is a great example. Beautiful long swaths of guava and lime, and a burst of spring flowers, as if every apple blossom in the world bloomed at once. Vivid minerality. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. 94 points KM
DOMAINE FRANCIS BLANCHET “Cuvée Silice” Pouilly-Fumé 2022 (Pouilly-Fumé, Loire Valley, France) $27
Loire Valley Pouilly-Fumés and Sancerres (both made from Sauvignon Blanc) have a wonderful tanginess, and here it is. Fresh, lemony, salty, minerally and yet mouthfilling, too. 92 points KM
LA CHAPPELLE DU BERRY “Cuvée Prestige” Sancerre 2021 (Sancerre, Loire Valley, France) $42
Sancerre is springtime in a bottle—loads of tangy greenness bursting out in all directions. La Chappelle du Berry explodes with peppery arugula, the crunch of snow peas, smoky green tea, plus a vivid minerality. Every salad in the world would love this partner. 92 points KM
LADOUCETTE Pouilly-Fumé 2021 (Pouilly-Fumé, Loire Valley, France) $46
Ladoucette has been considered the classic Pouilly-Fumé for decades. The wine is beautifully refined—subtle green notes, citrusy richness, an oceanic minerality, roundness. Dynamic tension, yet elegant. 94 points KM
LEEUWIN ESTATE “Prelude Vineyards” Chardonnay 2020 (Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia) $36
Die-hard Chardonnay lovers, here’s a springtime Chardonnay that’s sleek, taut, and lively. Lots of white peppery flavors plus a burst of saline minerality. In a blind tasting, this would easily pass for a French Chablis twice its price. Not oaky and not buttery, the Chardonnay from Leeuwin (pronounced LOO-in) is freshness in a bottle. 93 points KM
