Mother Gaia’s splendor is starting to bloom here in the mid-Atlantic, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than with flowers. Yes, flowers for Mother’s Day is a bit clichéd, but moms love flowers – that’s just science. Instead of getting your mom (or mother figure) the standard bouquet this time, we suggest surprising her with a floral-scented wine or six. Floral aromas and flavors may seem odd, but they’re fairly standard in many different styles of wine and associated with quite a few grape varieties.
Step your game up. Find your mom flowers and some wine with matching aromas by using this guide and shopping our online wine store:
Torrontés
Torrontés is incredibly fragrant, often smelling like potpourri, with heavy notes of white flowers like honeysuckle and jasmine. You can also smell geranium and rose petal in this aromatic white wine. Torrontés is an interesting grape, as it’s grown in the northern province of Salta in some of the highest elevation vineyards in the world and not really found anywhere outside of Argentina.
Pair this with a bouquet of very aromatic mixed white flowers.
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is another extremely aromatic variety. You’ll see dry examples coming from Alsace in France and slightly sweet versions from Germany. This grape tends to make wines that feel lush and full – it’s not particularly acidic, but Gewürz is full of deep floral notes like geranium, lily of the valley, and rose.
Pair this with a bouquet of aromatic white flowers mixed with some pink or red roses.
WTSO Wine Recommendation: 94 Pt. Boeckel Zotzenberg Grand Cru Gewurztraminer Alsace 2018
Viognier
Viognier may not be a grape variety that you’re familiar with, but it’s definitely one that you should try. Like Gewurz, Viognier doesn’t have a lot of acidity, so it can have quite a rich texture. This grape also takes to oak well, so if you’re a fan of oaked Chardonnays from Napa Valley, Viognier is a more flavorful alternative. It tends to be fairly floral, with notes of lilac, white flowers like honeysuckle, and rose petals.
Pair this with a bouquet of aromatic white flowers mixed with some pink roses and lilac.
WTSO Wine Recommendation: 94 Pt. Les Vins de Vienne Condrieu La Chambée 2021
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir makes some of the world’s finest reds, and its fickle nature means it won’t grow just anywhere. Pinot needs a cooler environment to produce wines that are subtle, delicate, and complex. Pinot can smell like peony and hibiscus, but one of the main aromas is rose petals – not necessarily freshly picked roses, but roses that have been sitting and are starting to dry slightly. Sounds weird, but in a well made Pinot, the floral component can be intoxicating.
Pair this with a bouquet of pink peonies and red roses.
WTSO Wine Recommendation: Apolloni Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Cuvée 2018
Malbec
Malbec is another one from Argentina. This grape’s original home was in Bordeaux, but it was found to thrive in the high-elevation vineyards of Mendoza on the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The winemakers of Argentina have taken this humble blending grape and brought it to the forefront, using Malbec to produce plummy wines with notes of purple flowers like violet, geranium, and lilac. Malbec is a great, affordable alternative for lovers of Merlot and Shiraz.
Pair this with a bouquet of anything purple.
WTSO Wine Recommendation: 95 Pt. Château Candeley Malbec AOC Bordeaux Rouge 2020
Grenache
Grenache is found blended into some of the tastiest wines in France and Spain, where it’s called “Garnacha.” In France, it’s a key figure in many Rhône blends, often featured in the Southern Rhône. In Australia, you’ll find it in GSM blends (Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvèdre). Grenache tends to have notes of herby flowers, like lavender, as well as more subtle rose.
WTSO Wine Recommendation: Kay Brothers Basket Pressed Grenache 2020 McLaren Vale Australia
Pair this with a rustic bouquet that includes blooming lavender and white roses.
Your mother raised you, and for that alone, she deserves wine – a lot of it. Pick up a few discount wine bottles for her, grab a glass, and toast to the woman who put up with you during your goth phase in high school.