Spring is my favorite season. Everything is green, flowers are blossoming, and birds are chirping. It’s finally time to wear lighter clothes and drink lighter wines. But this doesn’t mean I’m about to compromise when it comes to complexity and intensity.

Yes, Virginia. It is possible to have a wine that is light, yet intense at the same time; like a pistachio gelato. Lighter wines are underappreciated. We live in a world where houses are bigger, portions are bigger, cars are bigger, and even humans are bigger, but this does not mean better. In many cases, less is more, especially as we make the shift from eating warm soups and stews to summer salads and grilled fish.

I’m flexible and experimental when it comes to pairing wine and food, but the one rule I abide by is that neither one overpowers the other. If I want guacamole and baked tortilla chips with a Brut Rosé Champagne, I’ll go for it. As long as the guacamole isn’t too spicy to overpower the Champagne, it’s all good.

The following wine recommendations display vibrant and intense flavors, with mouth-feels and tannin structures that are light and suitable for spring and summer cuisines.

Can Vendrell Brut Cava, Penedès, Spain, $19.99

I wouldn’t be surprised if people in a blind tasting mistook this Cava for Champagne. The steady stream of bubbles is tantalizing on the palate. This is a nice dry sparkling wine with notes of almond, vanilla biscuit and creamy lemon. Pair this with crêpes with lox and béchamel, oysters on the half shell, creamy crab soup with sweet corn, soba noodles with grilled pineapple and tempeh, or just on its own with some good friends!

Pircas Negras 2006 Torrontés, Famatina Valley, Argentina, $9.99

Torrontés is a grape that runs to the beat of its own drummer. At times it can resemble a Chardonnay, a Viognier or even a Sauvignon Blanc. But there’s that je ne sais quoi quality to the wine that makes Torrontés a star performer. This vintage shows ripe peach flavors with vanilla, jasmine and roses, almond and mineral notes, followed by a hint of key lime and good acidity. Goes great with quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese and wild mushrooms, spinach pasta with basil pesto, grilled chicken or shrimp with carrot risotto, sushi and a spicy yum talay (a traditional Thai seafood salad).

Organic Vintners Pinot Noir 2006, Mendocino, CA, $19.99

Californian Pinot Noirs vary drastically. Some are so purple and massive, they hardly resemble the balanced wine with silky mouth-feel I think best represents this grape. I’ve always respected Pinot Noir, because unlike Cabernet Sauvignon, this is one picky grape; a winemaker really has to work to get it to cooperate, so climate is crucial for producing a well-made wine. Pinot Noir favors a cooler region, like Mendocino, where the Organic Vintners Pinot Noir is grown. This wine exhibits raspberry, strawberry and cherry fruit flavors, in addition to subtle hints of clove, cinnamon and lilac. Silky texture, soft tannins, and a bright and lively acidity level offer a plethora of cuisines for pairing. Try grilled salmon on a bed of curried couscous, a spinach tortilla with black bean hummus, soy cheese, Manchego cheese, grilled vegetables and cilantro rice with pinto beans.

Bettili Valpolicella 2005, Valpolicella DOC, Veneto, Italy

Valpolicella refers to a style of wine, and also a region located within the Veneto. The former is a red blend of Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. This light and fruity wine displays notes of cranberry, red licorice, orange zest and subtle, earthen spice notes. Chill it slightly before serving; 15 minutes in the refrigerator beforehand will really help bring out those lovely floral aromas and berry flavors. It will go great with butterfly pasta with olive oil, fresh fava beans and Pecorino cheese, puree of pea and mint soup with grilled shrimp, grilled pepper stuffed with rice and lamb with feta cheese and mint.

Enjoy your spring and summer, and the next time you have a scoop of gelato think about intensity of flavor and lightness of mouth-feel. Then remember to look for the same in your wines.

Michele Le Don is the West Coasts Sales Director of Organic Vintners. Visit them online at www.organicvintners.com.