“No matter how long the winter. The spring is sure to follow.”
Proverb-
Spring has arrived
Spring has arrived in the Netherlands. Let’s enjoy the sunshine with a good glass of wine.
In the vineyards, we also see the changes in temperature. The first buds appear on the vines in Europe. Soon they will open and the first tiny leaves will appear.
Wine suggestions and alternatives
It will not a long time until small clusters will appear. These will unfold into the blossom flowers. In April/ May, they will evolve into small bunches after pollination. Already after a month, you can see the small green clusters looking like mini grapes.
Early spring is exciting for winemakers. Night frost, hail, storm … any extreme weather type can disrupt this promising phase and with it the future harvest. They will do everything to prevent major damage to the blossom or young fruit. But we do not yet know how it will go this spring. That is up to the weather gods.
What we can do ourselves is enjoy the early sun with a nice wine. Nothing is as nice as a fresh white wine during spring. I have a number of suggestions and alternatives.
White & crispy
Albariño
Verdejo
Grüner Veltliner
Soave
Grillo
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
Tokaj
If you prefer red wine, I would choose a light and fruity red wine. Nice with that early sun in your face. Be sure to drink it slightly chilled. To give you some ideas:
Red & fruity
Spätburgunder
Pinot Noir
Beaujolais
Bardolino
Zweigelt
Rosé
The warm spring with all its wonderful blossom scents in the air actually asks for a delicious rosé that also carries those wonderful scents. Rosé from Provence is often a good choice. But it is also nice to try a rosé from another country or area.
Sparkling
A glass of sparkling wine is of course always a good choice. You can opt for Champagne. But why not choose a fresh Cava, Crémant de Bourgogne, Crémant de Loire or Sparkling Vonkelwine from South Africa. Or how about a British sparkle?
More than enough to choose from. Wouldn’t you say? Or did I make things too complicated? Anyway: Cheers and enjoy the sun as well as your wine.