After a long and cold winter, spring is well and truly upon us. The days are getting longer, the sun has started to peek out from behind the clouds, and the weather is starting to reach that perfect point that allows us to share time with our loved ones in the great outdoors.
Whether it’s a simple gathering of friends in the garden, a trip to a bar, or even a picnic after a hike, there is nothing quite like enjoying a great wine in the beautiful sunshine that spring promises.
Of course, the question is what wine should you enjoy?
With thousands of wines available in the Xtrawine catalogue, it’s fair to say that you’re spoiled for choice. You may choose an old favourite that you know you will enjoy. But for those who want to sample something new in the spring, we’ve pulled together a collection of gorgeous international and Italian wines that we think are perfect for the spring of 2021.
Wine #1 – Cava Palau Gazo Brut
We can’t help but celebrate when the sun finally starts shining, which may be why sparkling wines are often the order of the day during spring. Now, we could go for the obvious choice of Champagne to open our list here, and you can probably already guess that a Prosecco will make an appearance. But for our first selection, we’ve opted to travel to Spain for an example of thar country’s most famous sparkling white wine:
Cava.
Specifically, the Cava Palau Gazo Brut because it offers a perfect combination of summer fruit flavours that is extremely refreshing when the mercury starts to rise.
Upon pouring, you’ll immediately see the gorgeous fine bubbles and perfect mousse that this gorgeous wine has to offer. You likely won’t spend too long observing the perlage though, as the fruity aroma, which includes notes of banana, pineapple, and ripe apples, will soon draw you in.
The wine is also gorgeously refined to the taste, offering a fine presence on the palate and just the slightest hint of bitterness to complement the more powerful fruity notes. This is a well-balanced, crisp, and refreshing wine that offers something a little different to those who are more used to Prosecco and Champagne. And best of all, it’s available at a very reasonable price, costing less than €7 in the Xtrawine store.
Our testers fell in love with the Cava Palau Gazo Brut at first taste, which is why they give it a rating of 90/100
Wine #2 – Ruggeri Prosecco Giustino B Extra Dry 2019
You had to know that a Prosecco would make the list when we’re talking about great wines to drink during the spring. The biggest challenge we faced came from choosing a vintage from the many amazing Italian wines that we have available at Xtrawine.
After much consideration, we’ve opted for the Ruggeri Prosecco Giustino B Extra Dry 2019 because of its sheer an indisputable quality.
Much like the Cava we’ve just recommended, this gorgeous Prosecco finds its strength in the gorgeous summer fruits that make up its bouquet. Yellow apple and peach are the dominant notes here, though there is a delicate note of pink grapefruit that the particularly explorative will find. These fruity notes are balanced by a floral note of acacia flower, lending the wine a more refined air than you might expect from a typical Prosecco.
A pleasing fullness is the first thing you’ll notice when tasting, soon followed by the recognition of how perfectly in harmony each of the notes are. Retailing at less than €14, this beautiful wine may be one of the best Proseccos available today.
Our rating?
A stunning 96/100.
Wine #3 – Alois Lageder Chardonnay 2019
From one of the best Italian sparkling wines in recent memory, we move to a still wine that we’re sure we’ll offer you something a little different. Of course, Chardonnay is one of the world’s most used grapes, so there’s nothing new in terms of the type of wine we’re recommending here. But there’s just something about the Alois Lageder Chardonnay 2019 that makes it stand out from its contemporaries.
Perhaps it is the dazzling straw yellow colouring, that tells you this is a wine that you can drink immediately without any need for ageing. The delicate aroma also does an excellent job of combining the fruity notes you would expect, such as citrus, peach and melon, with floral and even mineral notes. This wine is an excellent representation of the terroir that birthed it.
To the taste, the wine offers an interesting combination between dryness and juiciness. The medium body gives you plenty to explore, with the exceptional balance making this wine a true joy to drink. Another one that is friendly to the bank balance, you can currently get your hands on it for less than €8.
As for our opinion, this wine received a 91/100 rating from our team.
Wine #4 – Ceci Bruno Lambrusco Brut
Ah, Lambrusco.
For so long, this Italian sparkling red wine was the butt of the jokes made by connoisseurs that world over. But over the last couple of decades, producers in the Lambrusco territory have made great strides in restoring the wines reputation following its downfall in the 1970s.
In the Ceci Bruno Lambrusco Brut, we see perhaps one of the best examples of the wine to ever exist.
The wine combines red fruit notes of strawberry, raspberry, and Marasca cherries, with floral notes of rose, geranium, and violet. It’s gorgeous colouring is intense, offering a hint at the refreshing, yet complex, experience to come.
Both fresh and warm in equal measure, this wine offers a pleasant acidity and is perfect for those chilly spring nights. As the temperature drops deeper into the evening, this is a wine that is tailor made for you to enjoy.
Again, you can get your hands on this wine for less than €10 in the Xtrawine store. And if you need any further convincing, just know that our team gave it a rating of 95/100!
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