As frosts give way to warmed soils, Jo Cribb inspires us to reach for zingy fresh wines that mirror spring’s freshness and sense of renewal.

Asparagus is a spring starlet. Picked fresh to retain its crisp, sulphury compounds, match grilled spears drizzled with peppery olive oil with a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Or try them with a fuller-bodied Pinot Gris that offers weight but still maintains the fresh minerality that spring eating demands. Pinot Gris’ stone fruit flavours would also appreciate a serving of local lamb alongside that asparagus.

Even though I used to hate it as a child, silver beet is having a renaissance. It grew like a weed in my parents’ veggie plot, towering over the rows of carrots and beetroot. A dry Riesling is a great match as it provides the acidity to cut through the mineral intensity of this bushy spring green, while adding lighter floral and delicate fruit flavours.

Broad beans and fresh peas make their spring appearance like glittering green jewels. They require wines that enhance rather than overwhelm their delicate, sweet flavours. A light, elegant Pinot Noir would be a good choice with fresh pea and mint soup, or a broad bean and bacon risotto. For a bold choice, try a Gewürztraminer with pea and pancetta pasta – the sweet floral notes should complement the natural sugars in the peas.

Should you get your hands on globe artichokes, matching them with wine can be a challenge as they contain bitter and herbal elements. Again, a minerally Sauvignon Blanc will save the day, especially if you add a whitebait fritter or goats cheese salad to your plate.

Spring also sees our herb gardens burst with basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Such herbs demand wines capable of matching their aromatic intensity. Reach for a crisp Albariño for Spanish-inspired deliciousness. Exceptionally tasty if also paired with herb-crusted fish or green salad tossed with local olive oil. Or try a Central Otago Pinot Noir to match that slow-roasted lamb or chicken baked with thyme and rosemary.

 

 

 

Jo’s Seasonal Picks

Quartz Reef

Methode Traditionnelle Brut NZ

Central Otago

$40

As cool and crisp as a spring Central Otago morning, this classy sparkling will wake up any slumbering taste buds. Expect a dose of green apples, lime and a hint of brioche.

Pegasus Bay

Riesling 2024

Waipara

$29

I am a real fan of North Canterbury Riesling and this is a great example. It’s a complex wine with flavours of mandarin, melon, citrus blossom, and a hint of baking spice.

Alexia

Wairarapa Family Tree White Pinot Noir 2025

Around $32

Hot off the heels of the sold-out 2024 vintage, scramble to get a bottle of this! Made from 100 per cent Pinot Noir grapes, it is a pale blush-coloured wine packed full of raspberry, juicy pear, red apple flavour, with a hint of savoury salt.

Ōhau

Woven Stone Pinot Gris 2023

$21

I think you will enjoy the crunchy apple, baking spices, apricot and peach flavours in this drop. The cool nights and warm afternoons of Ōhau have delivered a delicious food-friendly wine.

Rapaura Springs

Bull Paddock Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough

$23

With so many different brands of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to choose from, it’s hard to find a favourite. I particularly like this one with its balance of crisp acidity, fresh-cut pineapple and slight salinity.

Seifried

Gewürztraminer

Nelson

$19

This is a classic Kiwi Gewürztraminer. Think ginger beer, pear drops, Turkish delight, tangerines and juicy stone fruit. It’s not for the fainthearted; it’s like a dance party in your mouth.

Meet the Maker

Emma Taylor, Consultant Vitaculturist

Emma Taylor stumbled into wine, but you get the sense it was meant to be. A Country Calendar episode on an organic winery provided the topic for her post-graduate studies that saw her visiting vineyards around the country.

Hooked, she was appointed to a cadet role, then as a research viticulturist at Villa Maria, and never looked back.

When she was on maternity leave with her first child, she entered and won the prestigious Young Viticulturist of the Year. After her third child, she moved to a nursery viticulturist role to reduce the demands of work travel. Other roles have included consulting to a wide range of growers. She is now Deputy Chair of the New Zealand Winegrowers (the peak industry body).

Emma has encouraging words for anyone thinking of viticulture as a career. If you love the outdoors, get satisfaction from seeing things grow, want to work in some of the most beautiful parts of the country and want to be part of making a world-class product, she thinks nothing rivals it.

After several decades, she still loves the New Zealand wine industry as it continues to provide her with new challenges and experiences. She is particularly proud of how we consistently make such great wine, but thinks that we don’t celebrate our wine enough.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc sits on top of the global stage, she argues, because it is world leading. For her, after a long day tending vines, that’s what she’ll pour herself, knowing that she will be guaranteed a glass of great wine.