April 2025 Wine Recommendations

Happy Spring!

I live in New England, and it does not really feel like spring here. We continue to have 40-degree days and nights into the 30s, but I know it’s coming, as it usually “pops” one day in April like a cork out of a bottle. It hits sixty-five degrees, and I’m ready to sit on the patio with a glass of Rose.

In this April 2025 issue of Bottle Talk, I’m highlighting easy-drinking wines that I’ve enjoyed over the past month, which pair well with spring-inspired dishes.

 

1. White Wine Recommendation #1

Clos Des Rochers, Grand Premier Cru, Auxerrois 2022, Luxembourg, Alc. 12.5%

Clos Des Rochers Auxerrois is a fresh and fruity wine that is excellent as an aperitif, on its own, or paired with vegetarian and lighter fish dishes. It is made 100% of the unique tongue twister of a varietal Auxerrois.

I was first introduced to it in a wine shop I was working at in downtown Boston. The manager kept telling me to take a bottle home and try it. When I finally did, I was impressed by the delicate stone and citrus fruit palate, as well as the creamy texture. It is elegant and soft yet lingers around the mouth like a dog at the dinner table. It is widely distributed and should be readily available. Average price: $22-25.

 

2. White Wine Recommendation #2

Falesco, Le Poggere, Est! Est! Est! 2021, Di Montefiascone DOP, Italy, 2021 Alc.
12.5%

You do not often see a wine label with exclamation points, if ever. But this Italian white wine from the Lazio region has an interesting story behind its name. It is said to have come from the journey to Rome of a German bishop, Johann Fugger. Keen to ensure he would have good wine to drink in the evenings along his route, he would send a servant ahead every day to mark the doors of inns serving good wine with an ‘Est!,’ which means “there is.” When he came across a particular inn in the town of Montefiascone, the servant was so taken with their wine that he marked the door with ‘Est! Est!! Est!.’ It later became the name of the appellation.

Falesco Le Poggere, Est! Est! Est! is made from a blend of Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia, and Trebbiano Giallo (also known as Roscetto). It is not overly aromatic, as is typical, but it certainly is not simple. Aromas of zesty lemon and crunchy green apple, with a subtle salty seashell undertone, greet the nose, leading to refreshing citrus and savory flavors. It finishes with nice acidity and mouth-tingling length.

It is an excellent wine for spring and summer dining, pairing well with seafood, summer salads, and barbecue. Average price: $11-13.

 

3. Red Wine Recommendation

Weingut Heinrich Hartl, St. Laurent, Thermenregion, Austria, 2022, ALC. 12.5%

I discovered this wine in the small Vermont town of Woodstock at the local butcher / gourmet food shop. I was not familiar with the producer but love the St. Laurent grape, and so I was willing to take a chance on it.

St. Laurent is widely grown in Germany and Austria. Thought to be related to the Pinot Noir grape, it exhibits some of the same red fruit flavors, such as cherry and strawberry, but with additional black fruit and herbal undertones.

This version, crafted by third-generation winemaker Heinrich Hartl, did not disappoint. A beautiful pale-ish red rose hue opened with aromas of strawberry, dark cherry, and a hint of spice. On the palate, it presented juicy red fruits, dusty tannins, and a medium-bodied profile that flowed into a long finish. We paired it with a simple meal of homemade pizza and salad, but it would also go well with chicken, swordfish, or pate and hard cheeses. Average price $20-22.