The Wine Your Spring Dinner Party Has Been Missing
Spring in California is a distinct rhythm. The evenings warm up just enough to keep the doors open when it gets dark, the farmers' market starts looking full of life again, and suddenly you find yourself with a reason to invite some friends over and set the table properly. If that sounds like a great April night to you, this post is your guide.
At Marchand Wine, we source every bottle directly from small, family-owned wineries across France, Italy, Spain, and California. No mass production, no bulk wines, only artisan, family-owned producers and methods. These are wines that our family drinks, and they happen to be exactly what a spring dinner party table needs: interesting enough to start a conversation, versatile enough to carry the whole meal.
Spring entertaining calls for wines that can move. You might open with cured meats and fresh burrata before moving to roasted chicken with herbs or a light pasta. You need bottles that hold up across courses without overwhelming the food or the table. Here are three that do exactly that.
The Bottles
1. Domaine de L'Ermitage 2022 'Premiere Cuvee', Menetou Salon Blanc ($28)
Most California dinner tables have never seen Menetou-Salon, and that is the whole point. This white from the Loire Valley is the kind of discovery that makes you feel like you found a secret. Made from Sauvignon Blanc in a small appellation that sits just west of Sancerre, it’s “celebrity” sister. Serve it cold to start, with oysters or vegetable crudite, and let it do the talking.
Tasting notes: Crisp and aromatic with green herb, lemon zest, and white blossom on the nose. The palate is dry and lively with clean minerality and a long, refreshing finish. Pair it with goat cheese, asparagus, or anything with a light vinaigrette.
Best wine for a spring dinner party under $30 from a family winery in France? This is it.
2. Domaine Lombard, Azelee 2022, IGP de la Drome ($23)
For the red on a spring dinner table, you want something that does not demand decanting or attention. Domaine Lombard's Azelee is a Syrah-Viognier blend from the IGP de la Drome, a small zone in the northern Rhone Valley that sits geographically between Crozes-Hermitage and the southern Rhone. The Viognier co-fermented with the Syrah adds a lift and floral quality that makes this wine punishingly easy to drink. The estate is certified organic, farming 20 to 40 year old vines on pudding-stone soils.
Tasting notes: Deep ruby with purple highlights and a nose of wild red and black berries, white pepper, and a floral lift from the Viognier. The palate is bright, juicy, and silky with fine tannins and a refreshing, fruit-forward finish. Serve slightly below room temperature, around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Excellent with roasted chicken, lamb, spiced dishes, or a spring cheese course.
One of the best easy-drinking French red wines under $25 from an organic family estate in the Rhone Valley. Northern Rhone Syrah character at a fraction of the price.
WINE PRO TIP: Loire Valley whites like Menetou-Salon and Sancerre are made from the same Sauvignon Blanc grape as New Zealand Marlborough but they are typically drier, more mineral, and much more food-friendly. If someone at your table says they only drink Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, this Menetou-salon will change their frame of reference entirely.
How to Put the Table Together
Start the evening with the Menetou-Salon Blanc. Its crispness is perfect as a welcome drink and holds up to any appetizers you put out. Bring out the Azelee Rouge with roasted meats or cheese and let it carry you to the end of the night.
Both bottles are under $30 and come from small, family-owned estates in France. That combination is harder to find than it sounds.
Shop these bottles and now at marchand-wine.com before your next dinner party.
