For many, spring represents a time of rebirth, with life and color coming back to the trees and flowers around us. To sommeliers, spring evokes a slightly different image — one of effervescent Alvarinho, steely Riesling, and vibrant pink pét-nats sprouting up to fill our glasses.
All winter, those of us in continental climates have been looking forward to long afternoons of enjoying wine outside and the incredibly fresh seasonal produce that spring brings, and these wines are the perfect way to celebrate its arrival. From classic warm-weather bottles like sparkling rosé and Sauvignon Blanc to unique Hungarian whites and light-bodied reds, this list has everything you need for a fun, wine-fueled spring. So get ready to enjoy these bottles with sunshine and whatever creative ramp-based dish you plan to attempt this year, because spring is finally here!
The Best Bottles for Spring, According to Sommeliers
- Chateau Biac ‘Félicie de Biac’ Bordeaux Blanc
- Château de Roquefort Corail Rosé
- Sanzon Classic Furmint
- Lukas Hammelmann ‘Buntsandstein’ Trocken
- La Miraja Ruché
- Anders Frederik Steen ‘I hope every day’ Pét-Nat Rosé
- Andi Weigand, Landwein White Cuvée
- Valados de Melgaço Alvarinho Reserva
- Ameztoi Txakolina
- Marco Gatti Verdicchio di Matelica Villa Marilla
- Roberto Henriquez Semillón
“My go-to bottle this spring is Félicie de Biac from Chateau Biac in Cadillac, Bordeaux. A mostly Sauvignon Blanc blend that is made in uber small quantities, it has depth [and] structure but ultimately is very fresh and bright. Admittedly, I have been on a huge white Bordeaux kick for a while now but with good reason. The wines have changed so much stylistically the last five years (less oak, less Sémillon) and they are just drinking beautifully at the moment. They’ve had a string of great vintages, meaning there is an abundance of great wine at good values from across the region. Most consumers overlook Bordeaux for white wines but in an era of Sancerre shortages they should give it another chance.” —Zach Kameron, beverage director, Peak Restaurant, New York
“My go-to bottle for spring is the Château de Roquefort Corail Rosé from Provence, France. Completely delightful and expressive, year after year, this wine transports you directly to sunshine and snacks on the patio. This rosé is a crowd pleaser at an incredible price point. My recommendation is to pair it with spicy popcorn (try some ghost pepper salt if you can find it)! The wine is a blend of biodynamic and organically farmed Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Vermentino.” —Lydia DeRoss, wine bar manager, Arome, Redmond, Ore.
“My go-to wine this spring is the delicious Sanzon Classic Furmint from Tokaj HU, 2018. Erika Rácz, the winemaker behind this dazzling dry Tokaj, never planned on becoming a winemaker, but when her family planned to sell a small vineyard she couldn’t bear to see it be sold, so she took possession of the 0.4 hectares and dove into winemaking. Her production is still very small but her wines are mighty. The Classic Tokaj is 100 percent Furmint, a grape with incredible aromatic power and subtlety that is easy to drink on its own, and is a fantastic wine to pair with all the green things we see come into season in spring (ramps, snap peas, artichoke, hard-to-pair asparagus). The wine has fresh citrus and tropical fruits but also has unexpected aromas like subtle hints of lemongrass and ginger. It has an incredibly long finish that really took me when I first tasted it with Hungarian wine expert and importer Athena Bochanis, who runs Palinkerie. If you are a fan of Chenin Blanc, Aligoté, or dry Riesling, this is absolutely worth a try!” —Camille Lindsley, co-founder and sommelier, HAGS, New York
“After a winter of rich, meat-heavy meals, paired with lusciously textured reds and whites, I’m like a haggard bear waking up from hibernation looking for that first gulp of fresh water from the still-icy stream. I’m looking for a bone dry Riesling — yep, it’s a thing — like the ones made by Lukas Hammelmann in the Pfalz region of Germany. His wines, like the 2021 ‘Buntsandstein’ Trocken, from sandstone soils, deliver that refreshingly hair-raising blend of cool mineral energy wrapped around a nuclear coil of citrus that I’m so desperately seeking this time of year. Guess I should throw out a pairing — it goes really well with sunlight.” —Max Eddy, sommelier, Lord’s, New York
“I love the La Miraja Ruché for spring because it’s super versatile and simply delicious. It’s bursting with red fruit and an intriguing herbaceousness that keeps me going back. Plenty of acidity but enough grip to stand up to heartier dishes. I think unique grapes from northern Italy like Ruche, Freisa, and Grignolino provide guests with a new discovery while also providing crazy value.” —James O’Brien, partner, Popina, Brooklyn
“The bottle I’m most excited to pop on the first 70-degree day this year is a pét-nat rosé from Anders Frederik Steen. Based in the Ardèche region in southeast France, their super-minimal-intervention wines have such a unique flavor profile (and spectacular names for each bottling). This sparkling from them, called ‘I hope every day,’ drinks exactly like a toasted strawberry shortcake. The blend of Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache Noir with minimal skin contact provides the ripe strawberry notes with a little mineral vein, and the second fermentation in bottle gives a sweet, toasty pound cake note on the nose. Luxurious in texture, it’s an elegant and effortless sipper for springtime.” —Caden Worley, beverage manager, Don Angie, New York
“I’m a big geek for German whites all year round but the Andi Weigand Landwein White Cuvée 2021, a Franconian blend of Silvaner, Bacchus, Müller-Thurgau, and Scheurebe, is my go-to bottle this season. Like springtime, it’s bright, happy, and aromatic — think juicy tropical and citrus fruits, wildflowers, and some mineral tang, too. On the palate it’s crisp (and dry!) and textured as well. Drink it with friends in the grass or at a dinner party paired with a feast of those good spring veggies we’ve all been waiting for. Andi himself describes it as ‘fresh, juicy, and free-spirited’ — my spring 2023 persona, bottled.” —Beth Comatos, sommelier, Moonflower, New York
“Most of the country is coming out of the cold and dark winter months spent inside with hopefully some savory and warming bottles of wine. Now, spring is in the air and not only does our mood change, but our palate does as well. One thing that stood out for me when getting the wine list(s) ready for spring was this Alvarinho Reserva from Valados de Melgaço from Portugal. This Vinho Verde has the freshness and elegance of a good Alvarinho but with some more body than your typical Vinho Verde. Perfect with salads, raw dishes, and vegetables.” —Dave Gerardu, wine director, WAKUDA, Las Vegas
“When the weather starts getting warmer, I’m looking for something bright, refreshing, and versatile. Ameztoi in Basque Country, Spain makes beautiful Txakolina in both blanco and rosado presentations that I always find myself reaching for. [It’s] slightly effervescent, tart, crisp and salty — not to mention extremely accessible.” —Mackenzie Khosla, sommelier, Pasquale Jones, New York
“A wine I just put on the by-the-glass menu at Ci Siamo that screams spring to me is the Marco Gatti Verdicchio di Matelica Villa Marilla 2021 brought in by the humble New York-based Italian importer Jan d’Amore. Firstly, it is very easy for me to pair Verdicchio with spring as Verdicchio translates to ‘little green one’ in Italian, because even when luscious and ripe, it still shows lovely, herbaceous green notes. This wine in particular has all of that lovely green goddess character with an array of citrus and stone fruits, plus a unique honeyed note that I find delicious and endearing. It’s light and approachable while also showing great texture and length. This is an incredible spring food-pairing wine especially for Chef Hillary Sterling’s new Topini pasta dish that features fresh spring vegetables, like stinging nettles and leeks. I also just find the wine plain tasty and could enjoy it without food. It’s very pleasing.” —Robin Wright, beverage director, Ci Siamo, New York
“For spring, I would recommend the Roberto Henriquez Sémillon 2021 from Itata Valley, Chile. This wine comes from 100-year-old piè franco (ungrafted) bush vines in granitic soil, organic farming, and the know-how of winemaker Roberto Henriquez, who brings to life a great expression of the variety and terroir. The wine was fermented with skin contact in neutral oak barrels to preserve its natural fruit profile. The result, a wine of 12.5 percent ABV, is very aromatic with beautiful layers of stone fruit like peach and apricots, orange zest, chamomile flower, and a slight hint of honey. On the palate the juice is pure expression — vibrant, with a refreshing acidity; great personality, weight, and texture; [and] revealing and opulent. A perfect wine to welcome the spring, to enjoy chilled on its own or paired with creamy cheeses, charcuterie, or even preparations with a bit more texture as roasted pork ribs.” —Marcelo Arriagada Chocair, sommelier, Kappo Masa, New York
