Spring wine guide: the best and most refreshing styles this spring

With spring well and truly underway, sunlight has finally begun
to burst through the clouds giving us a reason to buy that new pair
of shades, and fill our glasses with wine that matches the
season.

Enjoying al fresco drinks is one of the best things about
spring, but preparation is key. Make sure you remember to bring a
corkscrew or a screwcap bottle, and to bring along some ‘safe’ wine
glasses.

The best choice for the park are those from Govino or
the Riedel ‘O’ range, as they not only offer you a
tulip shaped vessel which will funnel the aroma to your nose, but
do so without the added risk of breaking the stem, as on a
traditional glass. Finally, just add some cool packs – I usually
wrap my wine cool packs in tea towels or freezer bags for
protection against condensation, and then you’re ready to go!

When it comes to your choice of wine, I recommend leaving the
Grand Cru Burgundy and First Growth to enjoy inside. Instead, I
tend to lean towards more aromatic and robust wines from the warmer
regions of Europe when I’m out and about. If you’re drinking
alfresco, you might face a light wind or other challenges that can
overpower a more subtle wine-bouquet; like freshly cut grass,
blossoming plants or smoke from a barbecue so you need a more full
flavoured wine to counter this such as a dry Muskat from
Alsace, or Sauvignon Blanc from Alto-Adige in Italy for the whites.
And if you prefer red, Southern Rhone/Provencal reds like Bandol or
fragrant and juicy reds from Galicia.

In terms of pairing with food at this time of year, if we think
about the traditional ingredients of spring-awakening, like fennel,
asparagus, artichoke, and olive oil, we find foods which are often
regarded as difficult to match because of their bitterness. By
contrast, many contemporary chefs like Anne-Sophie Pic, our
multi-Michelin starred chef at Ten Trinity Square, suggests
bitterness is actually great at carrying and enhancing flavours. To
match with the bitter and peppery tendency associated with the
season, (the robust, aromatic) lighter reds and fragrant white
wines. I suggest selecting northern Portugease whites made from
Alvarinho or Loureiro and Dry Hungarian Hárslevelű. For reds,
fresh Rosso di Toscana or peppery and mineral Fleurie from
Beaujolais. 

Jan Konetzki is wine director at Ten Trinity
Square Private Club and was recently named sommelier of the year by Wine List
Confidential