Red Wines for Spring

The Post Winter Strip Down Continues.

Last week I shared the white wines I’ll be sipping this spring—whites that strip away the heaviness of colder weather and match the freshness of the new season. You can peep that list here. Major thanks for your positive reactions to the post and for sharing it with your friends in wine.

As promised, this week we’re running it back for reds. Here’s the list.

Let’s begin with bubbles! Lambrusco di Sorbara, a fizzy red wine from the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, is a fab way to start spring. Boomers might recall parents drinking a Lambrusco in the ‘70s called Reunite (on ice, so nice #iykyk). Ring a bell? If yes, this is not that bell. There are different styles of Lambrusco and the one linked here is dry, salmon-y pink in color, effervescent, refreshing and full of spring berries and flowers. And holy crap-a-doodle it has a crown cap! You pop it like a Corona. Basically your first charcuterie board picnic just improved by a kajillion yummy-easy-fizzies.

Chiroubles is a Beaujolais Crus (Crus being fancy talk for top quality stuff). It’s made from the Gamay grape and hails from high-altitude vineyards in France which produce a fresh style with floral and red fruit characteristics. Fresh doesn’t mean flimsy, friends. In fact the Chiroubles I’m suggesting (click that link) is medium bodied and partners well with grilled pork and chicken.

Speaking of grills, spring is the official start of burger season, and when you say burgers I say Primitivo from Puglia Italy. Primitivo, known as Zinfandel in the States, is a classic pairing for hamburgers, particularly those with sweeter toppings or barbecue flavors, so obvi you need some of it on hand for Memorial Day.

Every season is a great season to drink Pinot Noir, right? For spring, I’m swapping my winter-y California and French styles with those produced in Pinot’s home away from home: New Zealand. In NZ the grape is predominantly grown in the cooler southerly regions of the country—Wairarapa, Marlborough, Nelson, North Canterbury and Central Otago—and Felton Road "Bannockburn" Pinot Noir is a stand-out. It ain’t cheap, but it’s King of the Prom level if you can swing a bottle with your BBQ ribs or this Leek and Mushroom Gratin.

Finally, Etna Rosso from Sicily—yes, Etna as in Mount Etna the still-active volcano—is molten hot right now and rounds out my spring line-up.

The Etna Rosso I purchase on repeat is from Alberto Graci, a truly iconic producer, and I love it with cheese, proscuitto wrapped around those super skinny bread sticks that cost too much money, pizza, pasta or fish with fresh tomatoes…ok I admit it, I love it with everything. You will too. Get a bottle before April rolls in.

That’s the spring strip down. I hope you’ll be bear hugging one of the suggestions soon—and when you do let me know what you think. Cheers to spring. Enjoy it!