Wine

Sampling scores of wine every month means that surprises are all too rare. Enter the 2012 Dinastia Vivanco Rioja Blanco ($14), whose floral notes and peach flavors give no hint of the citrus/green apple jolt to come. The finish is as crisp and clean as the nose. This dynamic white from Rioja is a blend of tempranillo blanco, a natural mutation of the red grape for which the Spanish region is renowned, with viura and malvasia. It's as fresh as spring and should pair deftly with salads of the season, fish tacos and grilled lemon-herb chicken.

Available at Dolce Vita, Apple Valley munis, Hennepin Lake, North Loop, South Lyndale and France 44.

Bill Ward