Like many around the country, I am ready for spring to start. Of course, our Nevada weather hasn’t been as dreadful as in many parts of the country when below-zero temperatures have lingered on for far too many days. Still, spring brings life, as new blooms arrive on trees and flowers, baby vegetables begin to peek out of the earth, and everything begins to lighten up, including the wines. While I will always enjoy a hearty red wine at any time of year, lighter white wines with refreshing palates are perfect to welcome spring. Here are five to sip as we start the season. #Cheers

Zesty, crisp, and highly refreshing (easily fitting the spring wine bill), Cuvaison delivers layers of juicy, fruit-forward flavors with its Estate Sauvignon Blanc. The wine hails from the cool, rolling hillsides of Napa’s Los Carneros region, where Cuvaison grows its fruit following sustainable practices, earning the winery Napa Green Certification, ensuring the wines shine with authenticity, delivering the character of the region’s terroir. Juicy fruit-forward flavors open in the expressive wine, showing ripe lemon, lilikoi, and gooseberry, with white flowers and crushed stone. Pair this wine with fresh white fish, grilled vegetables, fresh salads with tangy goat cheese, or a relaxing Sunday afternoon. 

Within Italy’s Marche region in the central part of the country, Umani Rocchi celebrates the white variety Verdicchio, crafting expressive selections that taste like the terroir, particularly in its Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore. The winery introduced the wine into the portfolio over 40 years ago, intentionally selecting the best Verdicchio fruit from hillside vineyards within the region. The organic wine opens with a golden, inviting hue and aromas of white flowers, white peach, ripe pear, and apple blossom. On the palate, the wine has bright, balanced acidity, showing stone fruit and orchard fruit flavors with a touch of creaminess. A brief five-month aging on the lees gives the wine well-balanced weight on the palate, making it perfect for pairing with creamy cheese or roasted chicken or fish. 

If you are looking to lighten up without sacrificing taste Chateau Ste. Michelle is ready to help. Consumers looking for low-calorie/low-alcohol wines are one of the fastest-growing categories within the industry, with a growing number of wineries offering options to satisfy these consumers. However, many options I have tried do not compare in quality to the full alcohol options. Washington State’s Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery has a new line of wines that thankfully fulfills the promise of delivering a low-calorie/low-alcohol option while providing very quaffable wine with a bright, refreshing taste. Chateau Ste. Michelle LIGHT Chardonnay is layers of ripe apple, golden citrus, and luscious stone fruit with only 80 calories per serving and 9% alcohol by volume (impressive as some white wines can climb to 13% or more alcohol.) Chateau Ste. Michelle LIGHT Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and clean, especially when enjoyed nicely chilled, showing ripe citrus, gooseberry, tropical fruits, and soft herb flavors. Both Columbia Valley appellation wines are available for only $15 and are bottled under a screw cap, making them easily accessible for enjoying at an afternoon picnic in the park with spring salads, white fish, or light pasta dishes. 

Liquid Light is another light option from Washington State offering lively white and rose wines along with two sparkling wines bursting with bubbles while delivering low calories. Liquid Light Brut blends predominantly Chardonnay with other white wines from Washington State for a 95-calorie sparkler that is crisp, lean, and dry. Layers of white flowers, ripe apples, citrus, and stone fruit mingle throughout the easy-to-drink sparkling wine with beautiful effervescence. Its Chardonnay ferments in the barrel, adding a lovely texture to the appealing wine, lending a hint of creaminess and warm spice to the selection’s orchard fruit and citrus notes. With no added sugars, the 95 calorie per 5-ounce serving wine is delicious with a roasted chicken pairing, or enjoy with a bowl of buttery popcorn and your favorite movie. 

Bright and fresh, Willamette Valley’s Chehalem Winery showcases the elegance of cool-climate white wines in its exceptional Pinot Gris. The region is known for producing delicious Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. However, that is not all the Northwestern Oregon area is known for, they also produce some of the finest Pinot Gris wines in the country. These wines have an Alsatian style, with texture, a rich mouthfeel, and beautiful weight on the palate. Chehalem’s offering is juicy and crisp with abundant layers of ripe pear, melding with citrus blossom, and a hint of spice. It is the perfect wine to enjoy with roasted chicken, vegetable risotto, or broiled white fish.