Spring has sprung and I’m not about to let Corona
Virus dampen my spirits! I’ve been out
of the country six weeks and am so looking forward to spring’s bounty. As the season’s
foods have changed, so should our wine choices.
Heavier bodied wines (like Zinfandel and Cabernet) can now be replaced with
lighter tannin and less alcoholic reds (such as Pinot Noir, Grenache, or even Sicily’s
Frapatto, a fruity red wine brimming with another Spring flavor---strawberries). Winter’s full-on oaky Chardonnays can now
begin their transition to more gentle oak influences, or even unoaked
mineral-forward versions. Spring whites also scream citrusy Austrian Gruner
Veltliner or Italian Vermentino.
Here’s my shopping list, menu, and
wine pairings:
Fresh
peas: to be made into a risotto and served with a Pinot
Noir.
Baby
artichokes: grilled,
topped with a mélange of fresh spring herbs and garlic, served with grilled
lamb chops and a Grenache from the Rhone Valley.
Fava
beans: these labors
of love will be turned into a simple sauté using wonderful dill and mint, and
served roasted salmon along with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
New
potatoes: far less
starchy than other potatoes, these yummy spring-time morsels will be featured
in a salad mixed with tender green beans, spring radishes, just-sprouting
parsley, and dressed with olive oil.
They’ll accompany a roast chicken, and be served with a Sicilian
Frappato.
Morel
mushrooms: these
scrumptious splurges will be showcased in a simple pasta dish (garlic, shallots
and olive oil), and will be accompanied by a real-deal Rosé Champagne to
celebrate the arrival of Spring.
Happy Spring! Stay Healthy!
No comments:
Post a Comment