Manifest spring with these fresh, fruit-forward wines

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/03/2024 (948 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Sure, we’re still confined to plugging our cars in overnight, but the calendar insists we’re into the first few days of spring. That same calendar also offers a reminder that Easter comes remarkably early this year — next weekend, in fact.

If you’re looking to get into a spring mindset (overnight lows be damned), here are a half-dozen fresh, fruit-driven wines — including a few with possibly new-to-you grape varieties — to prime your palate for warmer temps. These wines are also remarkably food-friendly crowd-pleasers, and would work well for any manner of Easter dinner you might have in the cards…

The Pedra Cancela 2022 Winemaker Selection White (Dão, Portugal — $16.98, Liquor Marts and beyond) is made from the indigenous Encruzado, Cerceal Branco and Malvasia Fina grapes, a Portuguese white that’s quite pale in appearance but aromatically brings pretty pear, floral, white peach and subtle apple notes. It’s light-bodied and dry, with appealing apple, pear and peach flavours, a chalky salinity that works well with the modest acidity and a relatively short, crisp finish. Fresh and vibrant (and on sale until March 31 — it’s regularly $18.98). 3.5/5

The Tenuto Sassoregale 2022 Vermentino (Maremma Toscana, Italy — $22.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) is an unoaked Italian white wine that’s pale straw in colour and brings fresh-cut flowers, peach, ripe red apple and ripe citrus notes on the nose. It’s light-bodied and dry, offering a fresh fruit salad of apple, peach, ripe lemon and lime, fleshy pear and mango, with medium acidity, a hint of chalkiness a modest-length, 13.5 per cent finish. A delicious, lively white that’s drinking beautifully right now. 4/5

Closer to home, the Mt. Boucherie 2023 Pinot Gris (British Columbia — $24.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) is made from grapes grown in both the Similkameen and Okanagan valleys. Pale straw in colour, there’s a touch of smoke (from the growing year’s wildfires) that comes with the crunchy red apple, pear, peach and spice aromas. It’s crisp, light-plus bodied and slightly viscous, with all manner of fresh tree fruit showing well with subtle spice and the slightest hint of smoke (which, thankfully, is not too overpowering), medium acidity and a moderate finish (it’s 12.8 per cent alcohol). 3.5/5

This week’s top pick is the delicious Soalheiro 2022 Alvarinho (Vinho Verde, Portugal — $23.99, Liquor Marts and beyond), coming from the northern Portuguese region of Vinho Verde and made from the indigenous Alvarinho grape. Bright pale straw in colour, it offers gorgeous ripe red apple, honeycomb, floral, pear and tropical notes on the nose. It’s dry and light-plus bodied, with the red apple, pear and slightly honeyed notes coming with ripe tropical fruit, red apple and pear flavours, moderate acidity, a well-integrated chalky note and a medium-length finish. Elegant, complex and with great depth of flavour — an exceptional white for the price. 4.5/5

It’s never too soon to drink pink, and the Laurent Miquel 2022 Clacson Le Rosé (Pays D’Oc, France — around $20, private wine stores) is tasty and fun. A Grenache-Cinsault-Syrah blend, this southern French rosé is pale in colour; aromatically, meanwhile, it brings fresh strawberry, peach, floral, watermelon and pear notes. It’s light-bodied and while fermented dry, there’s plenty of ripeness from the red berry, peach and pear flavours, albeit balanced with a splash of acidity to retain freshness and verve. A solid value — available at most private wine stores. 3.5/5

If you’re after a springtime red, the Lapis Luna 2022 Pinot Noir (North Coast, Calif. — around $29, private wine stores) is a solid bet. Sourced from a single Mendocino-area vineyard, this California Pinot Noir is pale ruby in colour, with lovely violet, black cherry, raspberry, red licorice and spice aromas showing well. It’s light-plus-bodied and dry, with slightly earthy notes accompanying ripe cherry, raspberry, plum and strawberry flavours, a hint of mocha and spice (some of which comes from eight months in oak, although only 10 per cent was aged in new barrels), modest tannins and a slightly warm finish. It’s fresh and fruity but with enough structure to appeal to most red wine drinkers. Chill for 15-20 minutes and drink now. 4/5

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