Lighter, brighter and whiter wines for spring

At last. Oh, not the Fool's Spring we enjoyed in February during which many of you may have secretly thought that you could get used to this global warming carry on. You should be ashamed of yourselves! Nor do I speak of the traditional Irish Spring that we endured in March - all brutal gales and endless rain under low, leaden and heavy skies.

No, I'm talking about the real actual Spring. Flowers beginning to blossom, blue skies, glimmers of sunshine and fresh breezes. The kind of days where one starts to think about salads rather than stews, to consider the patio of an evening rather than the fireplace and for our purposes here today, dear tipplers, to fancy light and zesty white wines rather than big, sombre reds. Unless, of course, I've inadvertently placed a spanner in the works. It wouldn't be the first time.

Charlton, my noble Irish wolfhound leps about the garden at my lovely home, Rose Cottage, chasing his ball. Albert, the stray cat we've adopted, snoozes on the window sill. In the far distance I hear waves lapping gently upon the shore and I suggest to my darling wife, the redoubtable Madame G., that we take a walk along the strand and perhaps pop into the village afterwards for an ice-cream and a little libation. To fund the operation I plan to back the winner of today's Grand National, it's called Le Milos - ssshhh, remember where you heard it first and you're welcome #notjustawinecolumn. You know, I've got a lucky life with my idyllic little home, my wine writing, my gee gees and my beautiful wife.

First among near equals but just about gaining the nod as today's Wine of the Week is the taut, bone-dry and elegant 2022 New Zealand Pinot Gris Gisborne (£7.99, Lidl). This white has a firm, almost steely structure and a palate with well-judged minerality alongside hints of citrus and floral notes before a satisfying finish. It proved an ideal match for the experimental kedgeree I prepared for this evening's tea - a decent effort but was maybe slightly dry. The wine helped, providing much needed lubrication..For an easy-drinking midweek white - one I enjoyed whilst sitting out on the veranda watching the light decline over the horizon of a restful Atlantic with my enigmatic Madame - try the ripe, fragrant and refreshing 2022 M&S Classics Pinot Grigio (£7.50). Pronounced apple and pear flavours mingle with brighter citrus notes and subtle spices in this dry Italian white which will go well with mildly spiced Asian or Mediterranean cuisine. Madame's Aubergine Parmiggiani may have lacked what she terms the "market looks" but was nonetheless a tasty triumph alongside it.

Last up today, but by no means Paddy Last as my Granny G. used to label the slowcoaches round her dinner table, comes the smooth, opulent and aromatic 2022 Taste the Difference Cotes du Rhone Blanc (£8, Sainsbury's). Exotic fruit and floral aromas dominate the bouquet and lead to a rich palate with pronounced white peach and apricot flavours before a hint of almond enhances its lingering finish. One for your roast chicken tomorrow afternoon. Inside in the rain, most likely. It's Spring, after all.

So there you have it, lots of lovely white wine for you to get tore into in more clement conditions while dreaming in the immortal words of Sinatra, that the best is yet to come. As it surely must... so long as I haven't put my spanner in the works. Again.

Till next week, tipplers, sante!