Marlene Osteen
I vividly remember March in Highlands as a month that required a little honesty.
When temperatures hover between the low 30s and mid-50s, it’s hard to pretend winter is on its way out. Days may brighten, but my coat and scarf were never far from the front door, and the fire still burned in the fireplace.
It isn’t spring so much as a pause — a month spent wanting what’s next, while knowing better than to rush it.
Even though I no longer live there, that sensibility has stayed with me. In March, I tend to reach for wines that are comfortable in cooler weather — bottles with good acidity, moderate alcohol, and enough structure to stand up to soups, stews, and long evenings at the table.
These are balanced, food-friendly wines, the kind you can open early and keep coming back to as dinner stretches on.
One region I return to again and again this time of year is Alto Adige, high in Italy’s Dolomites. These wines have a clarity I appreciate in March — bright acidity, clean lines, nothing extraneous.
Elena Walch Schiava is especially appealing now: light, aromatic, and best with a slight chill. It slips easily alongside chicken soup, mushroom stew, or a table where people keep drifting in and helping themselves to whatever’s on the stove.
When I want something with a little more structure, I look south to Mount Etna, where vineyards climb old lava flows and the wines carry an unmistakable tension. Graci Etna Rosso brings bright red fruit, savory depth, and a mineral backbone that keeps it focused. It’s well suited to March cooking — slow-simmered bean soups, braised greens, or pork dishes that take their time and reward patience.
From there, my thoughts often turn west to Bierzo, a mountainous corner of Spain where steep, slate-heavy vineyards produce expressive reds from the Mencía grape. A bottle from Bodegas Emilio Moro feels right when friends gather around a big pot of stew — enough body to satisfy, enough freshness to keep the glass moving, and nothing that pulls focus from the conversation.
March in Highlands has always been less about spring arriving and more about how people come together while waiting for it. Friends gather around the stove or the table, bowls of stew passed hand to hand, coats draped over chairs. Sometimes the talk turns to plans for warmer days ahead; other times it stays right where it is — content to celebrate the cold, the company, and the chance to linger.
A good bottle opened, glasses refilled, and plenty to say. In March, that’s more than enough.
Favorites Count: 0