FRESHLY PICKED: THURSTQUEEN SHARES 4 UNIQUE WHITE WINES TO TRY SPRING OF 2022 (THAT AREN'T SAUVVY B)

Spring has officially sprung, Thurstqueens. As the weather warms and flowers bloom, you’ll be wanting to hit up fresh, mineral-driven wines. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a wine with the aromas of freshly plucked white flowers kissed with dew or the scent of Spring rain as we go from April into May.

Spring always makes me crave flinty, silvery white wines. Maybe it was because when I was a distributor, all the suppliers I worked with kept trying to make Spring “Rosé Season,” and I have a problem with authority - yet I digress.

This article features four white wines you should add to your rotation to help you get your Spring on. All of these wines were wines I used to sell either as a broker or a distributor and you can find the majority of them online or in Los Angeles.

SPRING WINE 1 - ALBARIÑO

TRY: BODEGAS FIFEÑANES ALBARIÑO $20 - $30

If you love the aromas of fresh grapefruit, lemon zest, and the ocean - Albariño is the white grape you need to try. This high-acid, sometimes salty (but in a good salt on a lemon sort of way) varietal needs to be a wine you drink regularly. Albariño is a white grape that grows in Rias Baixes, Spain and also Portugal. In Portugal, it’s called Alvarinho and grows primarily in Vinho Verde. You can also find some pretty solid expressions of Albariño in Lodi, California.

Albariño demands cooler climates in order to keep that high-toned acidity it is known for. You can typically find Albariño for a fairly cheap price. The Fifenanes Albariño I selected above is definitely on the higher end of the pricing spectrum, but boy - is it worth the buy! Winemaker Christina Mantilla really knows her stuff when it comes to cultivating this beautiful varietal in the property’s seashell-littered vineyard. The winery actually is situated on a 17th Century palace which is engraved on the label, and each vintage of Albariño is definitely fit for royalty.

This particular Albariño also has the ability to age beautifully, as when I worked with it we were able to taste vintages from five years before that were still holding up. Those lemony tannins that add a brilliant acidity in younger vintages mellow out, giving way to aromas of sea shell and melon. Sea food lovers - this is your wine. Definitely pair it with all manner of cooked Salmon, shrimp pasta, and even fish tacos.

SPRING WINE 2 - KERNER

TRY: ABBAZIA DI NOVACELLA VALLE ISCARO KERNER $15 - $20

If you love Riesling, Kerner is simply a must-try wine. This strikingly aromatic white varietal grows at the base of the Dolomites in Northern Italy and has pulsing aromas of ripe pineapple, flinty minerals, and Stargazer Lillies. Kerner is a wine with a dizzying nose and loads of complexity going on. It has a little bit more weight than Riesling but pretty much the same amount of versatility.

Kerner is a grape that was developed in Germany. This hybrid grape is a cross between Trollinger - a grape also known as Schiava that has loads of cotton candy aromas - and Riesling. Though there is a lot of Kerner in Germany, it thrives in Alto Adige. The climate in this portion of Northern Italy is too warm to grow traditional Riesling, and Kerner is better suited to grow in that climate.

This particular Kerner comes from the Abbazzia di Novacella monastery. Abbazzia di Novacella was an Augustinian monastery established during the 12th Century and is STILL a working monastery and winery today - how crazy is that? This particular place has been making wine for over 850 years, which is a heck of a long time. I’ve had other Kerner before, but to me Abazzia di Novacella’s is a tremendous value and has loads of pulsing acidity, which I want in a Kerner. If you’re trying to figure out what to pair with this wine, look no further than Asian food. Any types of spicy noodle dish, curry, or even dim sum go beautifully.

SPRING WINE 3 - GRÜNER VETLINER

TRY: HUGL GRÜNER VETLINER $10 - $15 for 1 L

Crisp and snappy with a little bit of spice, Grüner Veltliner is a high-acid white wine that screams Springtime. This white grape has loads of acidity and is incredibly light - making it the perfect wine to pair with veggies or lean meats. Grüner is such a versatile wine, it’s perfect to enjoy with lighter and more challenging faire. A lot of people struggle finding wines to pair with vegetable-based dishes or sushi for that matter. If you’re ever at a sushi spot and see a Grüner on the menu - order it. Your tastebuds will thank you.

This quirky little varietal from Austria literally translates to “The Green Wine of Veltin,” which is an Alpine area that existed in the 1600s. These Alps are now a part of Valtellina, Italy. Grüner Veltliner primarily grows in cooler climates like Austria, though there are plantings of this varietal in New Zealand and even some in parts of Central California. Gruner typically has aromas of lime, spice, nuts, lentils, and green herbs. If you like wines that have a little bit of an herbal quality - like Sauvignon Blanc - Grüner Veltliner is going to be the perfect wine for you. Grüner is also typically a more budget-friendly wine, which means your dollar stretches further when you purchase a bottle.

And speaking of stretching your dollar, the Hugl Grüner Veltliner is the perfect wine for those seeking a crisp, lively, easy-drinking party wine. You can typically purchase this wine for $10-$15 dollars a Liter, which makes it a great value-driven white wine for gatherings. In my post on Austria a couple of months ago, I mentioned picking up 1 Liter Bottles of Grüner to bring to parties and the Hugl Grüner Veltliner was my specific wine of choice. This particular wine is thirst-quenching and bright - pretty much a guaranteed crowd pleaser. There’s definitely a zest to this wine, and it’s got a really fun pop rocks sort of mouthfeel going on, so get ready for that.

SPRING WINE 4 - SOAVE

TRY: PIEROPAN SOAVE CLASSICO $15 - $20

Un-oaked Chardonnay-lovers will fall head over heels in love with Soave. This varietal has loads of aromas of ripe peaches, toasted almonds, and herbs, with just the tiniest bit of salinity to make it ever-so drinkable. Something about that attractive saltiness and lower alcohol on this wine will make you want glass after glass of the stuff. Soave is also a great bargain wine, and if you’re looking for a value-oriented alternative to Chard, this wine is where it’s at. Enjoy a glass of this bright, crisp, drinkable wine with starchy and creamy foods - like pasta in Alfredo sauce.

Soave is a wine made from the Garganega varietal that grows in the volcanic soils near Verona. In addition to Northern Italy, you can find Garganega growing in Sicily as well. As a varietal, Garganega has a decent amount of body but is not as va-va-voom as Chardonnay. This wine is on the leaner and more acidic end of the spectrum, but is not quite as lean as Grüner Veltliner. As Garganega ages, expect to get nuttier, toastier aromas.

Pieropan is one of the benchmark producers of Soave. Over five generations of the Pieropan family have been perfecting this wine since the 1800s. The Pieropan Soave Classico is their most affordable wine, but they make other expressions of Soave that are all priced within reason. With aromas of marzipan and peaches, this crisp refreshing and oh-so-pretty wine is perfect for casual weeknight dinners. Pair this with some Caccio e Pepe or Carbonara and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

SPRING WINE 5 - WHITE MISSION

TRY: BODEGAS DE SANTO TOMAS BLANCA MEXICO $15 - $20

Of all the wines I’ve listed, the Bodegas de Santo Tomás Blanca Mexico is probably going to be the most difficult to find. Of course, if you’re in Los Angeles and don’t mind a six hour drive, you could always head down south and pick up a bottle - or case - of the stuff. Those of you who follow this blog are probably well aware of my love for Mexico as a wine region. I love it because my first job working in the Wine Industry was selling wines from the Valle de Guadalupe. I received a lot of pushback and was laughed out of more than my fair share of restaurants, but now that the Valle de Guadalupe is becoming a cult wine region, it looks like I’m going to be the one laughing. 💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽

Pardon my claws, I’m just very protective of underrepresented wine regions. So many people seem to think France, Italy and Napa are the only three wine regions/countries in the world capable of making good wine and sure, there’s a lot of great stuff coming out of those places, but there are so many hidden treasures out there - like Mexico. A lot of these hidden treasures craft wines that are just as good - if not better - and often more affordable. If you’re only drinking wines from those three places wherever you go, you’re like the type of person that only orders Cheeseburgers when they go out to eat.

Anyway, back to Bodegas de Santo Tomás and the Blanca Mexico. The Blanca is a single varietal wine, composed of exclusively the Mission grape. The Mission grape comes in two types - red and white. This grape was brought up through central and South America by the Monks of Santo Tomas and eventually planted within the vineyards of Mexico. Mission grape is typically kind of… Meh… but Bodegas de Santo Tomas really knows what’s up in bringing out the best in this varietal. Out of the bottle in some vintages it almost has a violet-like sheen. You get loads of tropical flower aromas on the nose and aromas of lychee nut. It’s fairly aromatic for such a simple and chill grape. When you drink it, there’s plenty of acidity and it’s about as lean as Grüner Vetliner. This wine begs to be paired with sushi, sashimi or a nice crisp salad.