SAVORING SPRINGTIME IN A GLASS OF WINE

The rains have left the landscape a lush green so it's only natural we look to savor spring in the glass.

This week's Press Democrat blind tasting features a range of whites from sauvignon blanc to viognier to Rhone blends.

Our wine-of-the-week winner is the Long Meadow Ranch, 2013 Rutherford Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc at $20. It's a gorgeous sauvignon blanc with a range of flavors - grapefruit, lemon, grass and a hint of jalapeno. It's a standout with a refreshing pineapple finish.

Ashley Heisey is the St. Helena winery's director of winemaking, and she said what she likes best about sauvignon blanc across the board is its bouquet.

"It has the potential for fresh, aromatically enticing, moderate-alcohol wine," Heisey said. "I love aromatic wines, especially sauvignon blanc and riesling.:"

This time of year, sauvignon blanc is an irresistible pick for fans of the varietal.

"The weather is warming up and the wine is refreshing," Heisey said. "Additionally, the 2013 sauvignon blanc has just been bottled, so it's in its freshest six months through spring and summer."

Another knockout wine in the flight is the Kunde Family Estate, 2011 Sonoma Valley, Late Harvest White Wine at $75. While this is not a breezy spring white, it will please those who crave decadence any season. This dessert wine is a little pricey, but it's well worth the splurge. It's a striking honeyed wine with gorgeous aromas and flavors of white flowers, apple and a hint of almond.

However, if that's too spendy, the Cline, 2013 Sonoma Coast Viognier is a steal at $12. This is the true expression of springtime in a glass, with aromas and flavors of orange blossoms, honeysuckle, peaches and apricots.

White wines offer up a tasty mix to tease out the spring. Sauvignon blanc itself presents a range of offerings from the crisp and tangy New Zealand style to fruit-forward California. Rhone blends are equally interesting when winemakers tinker with percentages of roussanne, marsanne, viognier and other Rhone whites.

Even before you take a sip of these spring whites, there's a garden of aromas to savor and this is particularly true of viognier.