Monthly Sips: The Best Wines I Drank in March
One of the most common questions I get is, “What’s your favorite wine?”
Truth is, wine is very situational for me. I rarely revisit the same bottle, which often makes it difficult for me to answer this question.
So, I decided a monthly log of the best bottles I’ve had of late would be a good start.
You can reference this guide when you’re stocking up your cellar or just craving something different. Hopefully, these monthly wine roundups will inspire you to try some new things! Even if you can’t get these exact same bottles, I challenge you to get out of your wine comfort zone and explore a region, grape, or style of wine you have yet to taste.
Monthly Sips: The Best Wines I Drank in March
Here are the best wines I drank in March 2022, in no particular order. You may be able to purchase some of these online, and if so, I’ve included links below.
By the way, some of these links are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using the links provided, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support!
If you end up trying any of these wines, please let me know your thoughts!
Terrecarsiche
2021 Murgia Rosa
IGT Rosato Puglia, Italy
The heel of Italy’s boot, Puglia is the most underrated region for rosé, in my opinion. It’s actually known as the first region in Italy to make rosé (kind of by accident - more on that later).
This wine is dry but juicy as hell and New World in style (meaning very fruit-forward). Strawberries, watermelon jolly rancher, ripe grapefruit. It has some silky texture, so I’d call it medium-bodied.
Delish & crushable & thirst-quenching. Perfect for beach and pool days.
Learn more about Puglia rosé wines here.
A Tribute to grace
2016 grenache
Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, CA
Balsamic strawberry jam, cinnamon, dried roses, stones, salted caramel, and toffee. Light bodied, medium (smooth) tannins, long finish, drinking perfectly right now.
This wine pairs wonderfully with a dip in the jacuzzi or my favorite cheese, Humboldt Fog by Cypress Grove.
By the way, if you find yourself in Santa Barbara wine country soon, be sure to pay a visit to their tasting room in Los Alamos.
Try the 2018 vintage of the same wine (I’ve also tasted this vintage and loved it).
Stellareese
2018 Lucid Poet Grenache
Moon Mountain, Sonoma, CA
We tasted this wine during our March wine club tasting - it was part of our first shipment for the new California wine club!
This is such a unique wine. It’s savory with notes of red and black fruits, dried violets, and cocoa dust. It pairs deliciously with asiago (specifically the rosemary asiago from Trader Joe’s). But it’s also so gluggable on its own.
Drinking this wine with our wine club members and Stellareese’s owner, Rachel Davies, made it even better. To opt in for our next wine club shipment and join the tasting with the winemaker, visit this page.
This is one of my favorite wines of all time, and it’s extremely limited (only 100 cases produced). If the Grenache is out of stock by the time you’re reading this, get the Cabernet Sauvignon - you won’t be disappointed! Grab yourself a bottle here.
Bodkin Wines
(Canned by Maker Wine)
Muscat Canelli
Lake County, CA
This is one of the more unique white wines I’ve had in a while (and my first time tasting this grape)! It’s extremely aromatic and flavorful, but still dry. Think: tangerine juice and sweet tarts. Super easy-drinking.
The winemaker, Chris Christensen, calls this the best thing he’s made since his son.
You might already know that I’m obsessed with Maker canned wines, and I truly believe this is one of those wines that was just meant to be in a can. It’s so refreshing - perfect for a hike, beach day, park picnic, you name it.
Col Tamarie
Prosecco Col Fondo Bio NV
Veneto, Italy
Col Fondo is a style of Prosecco in which the second fermentation occurs in bottle. This normally happens in a tank, but this funky style results in a cloudy, less-sparkling (frizzante) style of wine.
This is my ultimate happy hour wine - it’s a crispy crusher. Perfect for spring and summer. Don't even bother pairing it with food because it’s just so good on its own.
Grab a bottle for your next happy hour here (limited).
P.S. If you’re shopping for this style of wine, look out for “Rifermentato in Bottiglia” on the label. If you’re in LA, you can grab a glass or two at Bar Bandini.
Domaine Paterianakis
2019 Assyrtiko
Crete, Greece
Our monthly virtual wine tasting theme for March was Greek Wine & Food. (P.S. To see what the virtual tasting theme is this month, visit this page here.)
To be honest, I don’t seek out Greek wines often because they are hard to come by, but I’m so glad I did.
Assyrtiko paired with feta cheese is my new favorite pairing. I literally have a post-it note stuck on the wall above my desk that says “Assyrtiko + feta cheese” because that’s how mind-blowing the experience was.
This wine is medium-bodied and waxy in texture (almost tannic, but not). It has notes of citrus, pear, jasmine flowers, and a touch of smoke and flint. It’s very unique and complex. If you love red wines, this is the perfect white wine for you!
All of the wines we tasted were delicious on their own, but they each improved exponentially when paired with food, so that’s just something to remember when you go out on a limb to try a Greek wine.
Fun fact about Assyrtiko (Greek’s most popular white wine grape) - it hails from the island of Santorini, which was not affected by phylloxera and therefore has some of the oldest vines in the world (up to 500 years old). This results in complex, flinty wines that are perfect for pairing with seafood and a beachside view.
I couldn’t find this exact bottle online, but here’s another great option.
Bodegas Raul Perez Leon
2020 Rosado Arrotos del Pendon
Bierzo, Spain
I don’t have proper notes on this wine because I was enjoying my time at our local wine bar, Wife and the Somm. However, I do want to encourage you to taste a deep-colored rosé soon. They are fuller-bodied and often juicier than Provence-style rosé - perfect for transitioning into spring!
This wine is from Spain and I can tell you that it did pair perfectly with crispy potatoes, burrata, and handmade tortellini filled with ricotta and peas.
Life hack: Spain is a wonderful region for finding great values! It’s still underrated, so the prices are more approachable.
Stolpman Vineyards
2021 Love You Bunches Orange
Santa Barbara, CA
Stolpman Vineyards has been on my list to visit in Santa Barbara wine country for far too long. I continue to fall in love with their wines, but I have yet to make it to their tasting room in Los Olivos.
This orange wine was actually a happy accident for me. I meant to purchase their Love You Bunches Rosé for an in-person wine tasting I led, but ended up with three bottles of the orange wine (the front labels are identical and the color of each wine is extremely similar).
This is the perfect place to start if you haven’t tried a skin contact white wine yet (orange wine). It’s a blend of aromatic varieties like Gewurztraminer, Orange Muscat, and Pinot Gris, and it has notes of tangerine, orange peel, orange blossom, and chalk (minerality).
Did I mention it’s woman-made? Stock up here.
I hope you enjoyed this recap of my favorite wines from March. If you taste any of these, please let me know in the comments below! I’ll be back next month with another roundup of my favorite wines from April.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like this one about the 5 S’s of Wine Tasting.
And if you’d like to attend a virtual or in-person wine tasting event, book a private wine tasting with me or check out our upcoming events here.
Happy sipping!
