Spring For These 5 White Wines In Southwest Florida

Thanks to Cantina Terlano Terlano and Esporao for inviting me to sample their wines. They provided me with free bottles in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. 

Spring has sprung and the weather in most of Florida has been gorgeous the last couple of weeks. I went to a wine tasting in Naples last week and noticed a big shift in the offerings away from big reds. To celebrate the season, Spring for these 5 white wines in Southwest Florida along with tips for serving. Cheers to Wine Wednesday.

White wines are good all year long in Southwest Florida. They tend to go with the coastal cuisine and tropical climate we love. However, more red wine is served and consumed in the winter months. Even if it isn't bone chilling cold out. But restaurants are beginning to shore up their white and rose selections now that the thermostat is climbing.

First, make sure they are chilled properly. Room temp in Florida is not what most wine makers envision when offering the recommendation. In addition, serving and storage temperatures differ. Experts recommend setting the thermometer five to ten degrees higher when it comes to storing and aging white wine.

Pop them out of the wine frig and into your regular frig before serving. The ideal temperature for enjoying the subtleties of white wine ranges from 45 to 55 degrees. Sparkling wines are best at the lower end of the spectrum, then lighter whites. Your heavier, bigger bodied whites can generally do with a little less chill.

Here is one important thing to remember. Wine will always warm up in the glass. So, if you start on the too cold end, things will settle into place eventually. However, if you start too warm, it is a more complicated proposition to reduce the temperature.

Finally, where do you start? The shelves are loaded with white wines, some with names that are hard to pronounce. Even wines you do know can have a wide range of flavor profiles. Take for instance chardonnay. Some can be big, with a buttery mouthfeel while others can be leaner and fresher.

And keep in mind, those flavors shift once food is added to the mix. Do you want a wine to sip by the pool or pair with food? Read tasting notes, take a chance and try something new.

There are so many things I like about this wine. First, $1 of every bottle sold goes support ocean conservancy. Second, it comes from the well known and respected Pisoni Family. Finally, it is so good. The wine is full of juicy summer fruits. It's fresh, almost effervescent but still has a nice round texture. It's a blend of pinot gris and pinot blancand pinot blanc grown in Monterey County, CA. $26

I visited this winery in Portugal years ago and it brings back great memories. Not to mention, I really enjoy the wine. This one is a blend of organically farmed grapes and it almost always scores well. It has citrus and stone fruits and is vibrant in the glass. I could drink this one all day. $23

Kreuth comes from one of my favorite regions in Italy for white wine, Alto Adige. It's north, a colder climate and produces beautiful pinot grigio, resiling and more. This is my kind of chardonnay. It has some brioche but is not big and in your face. It is more fresh and minerally with flavors of pear and citrus. $30-$35 range.

Sauvignon Blancs are fantastic with seafood and salads. Some are super acidic but not this one. It is more sophisticated with this lovely floral and citrusy nose. The citrus is more like lime and it makes you salivate, wanting more. However, this is one to savor and take your time with. From Italy, find in the $50 range.

OK, now you know I've been on an Italian wine kick. Vermentino is a great spring wine. It is grown all over the world, however, Italy is well known for this grape. This one smells a little spicy and sassy. It has a hint of spice on the palate too along with citrus and stone fruit flavors. Under $20

Those listed here may not be what you are able to find them for. Drink responsibly.