by Anita Skogland

These wines are fit for spring holidays. Kristen Wile/UP

The flowers this year are spectacular, and the air feels fresh and slightly warm, signaling of the promise of spring. We have three major religious holidays crossing paths over the next few weeks: Easter, Ramadan, and Passover, so there are a lot of reasons to celebrate (except for that darn pollen!). We selected some new (to us) wines for you to consider as you celebrate life this month.

SPARKLING

Pierre Tailleur de Vins Blanquette de Limoux (90% Mauzac, 10% Chenin Blanc)
Very refreshing with a hint of pear and lime on the nose and palate. Intense tiny bubbles and persistent mousse. Limoux is located in southern France’s Languedoc area. $25.99/Foxcroft Wine Co.

Clotilde Davenne Cremant de Bourgogne Extra Brut
A female vigneron, Davenne is very respected in the Chablis region for her exacting standards. A blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, with notes of lemon, apple and yeasty bread, this wine mimics the quality of a good Champagne at half the price. $34.99/Foxcroft.

ROSÉ

Old Westminster Take It Easy 2021 (chambourcin and piquette), Maryland
What, wine from Maryland? I am always on the lookout for something that I have not heard of and this is it. The wine is a lovely salmon color and the packaging is very sleek. Chambourcin is a grape that grows well in North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, as it can suffer through our summer humidity. The piquette is a blend of grape skins, stems, and seeds leftover from extracting the juice, to which water is added to draw out any remaining sugars. The blended piquette and chambourcin yields a still rose with a hint of fizz. A tart cherry nose with light cherry, raspberry and herb palate. This is a wine for an adventure, and would pair well with brunch. $19.99/Rhino Market.

Peyrassol Les Commandeurs 2021 Cotes de Provence, France
Peyrassol is one of the top ten Provence rosé producers. They blend grenache, cinsault, syrah, mourvedre, and vermentino to make an elegant wine that smells of fresh strawberries and pale pink roses, with refreshing acidity, lime, and raspberry on the palate. If salmon is on your plate, this is your wine. $26.99/Arthur’s Wine Shop 

WHITE

Jean-Paul Brun Beaujolais Blanc Terres Dorees 2021 (a Louis/Dressner Selection)
The grapes are hand harvested and fermented with natural yeasts in concrete vats. There is not a lot of chardonnay made in Beaujolais, although some maps do include Beaujolais as the southern part of Burgundy — a very controversial discussion among wine professionals. The wine has a delicate white flower, peach, and Meyer lemon aroma with mineral notes, tropical fruit and creamy texture on the palate. A flexible wine for ham, hearty fish, or poultry, and an excellent price for the level of quality. $23.99/Arthur’s Wine Shop.

Domaine Jouard 2020 Bourgogne Cote d’Or Chardonnay
A light buttery note with vanilla, melon, and orange peel on the nose and light acidity with yellow apple on the palate. The Jouard family has been making wine in the southern part of the Cote d’Or for seven generations. Paul Jouard makes wine in the classic Burgundy style. A rich wine with good body that will pair nicely with rabbit, brunch, scallops, or hearty vegetable casserole. $47.98/Foxcroft Wine Co.

RED

The Mariner 2019 Dry Dreek Vineyard (blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec, petit verdot, and cabernet franc), Sonoma County, Calif.
A rich, full-bodied cuvée, aged for 20 months in French and Hungarian oak. Aromas of black fruit tinged with warm spices, thyme, and pepper. The palate has a long finish with earthy tannins, good balance, and mocha. This wine pairs well with venison, lamb, pheasant, and hearty Italian fare. $34.99/winestore.

Val de Garrigues Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020 (blend of mostly grenache with syrah, mourvedre, and cinsault)
The term garrigues is used in southern France for the aromas of all the herbs that grow wild in that area: lavender, sage, rosemary, and thyme. When you walk the vineyards of Rhône and Provence, that scent permeates the air. It also adds aroma and complexity to the wines of the area, especially the red grapes. The palate has juicy red and purple fruits with a light earthiness, good structure, full body and smooth finish. Pair with dark meat fowl, like duck, lamb, beef, and assertive fruit-based sauces. $29.99/winestore.