The closer we get to March, the more we Northwesterners seem to come down with a case of spring fever – and why not? The signs are everywhere – daffodils popping up in the garden, slightly warmer temperatures, sunsets after 5 pm – it’s an exciting time of year as we anticipate and welcome the change of seasons.

Another indicator that spring is on the way is a change in many people’s wine preferences. I’m a red wine drinker year-around, but if you’re like me, your tastes shift to more white wines as we move into the warmer weather of the spring and summer months.

With that in mind, let me offer a few pre-spring white wine choices that I’ve recently enjoyed.

For starters, try the Mount Baker Vineyards 2005 Chasselas doré (about $12). It’s crisp, light and faintly sweet and makes a great wine to serve as an aperitif, with mild cheeses or with the salad course of your meal.

If you like sparkling white wines you’re going to love the Parxet Cuvee 21 Cava Brut (about $12). This Spanish sparkler is slightly yeasty with touches of citrus and baked apple flavors and a mild, creamy finish.

For an elegant touch, the Roza Ridge 2005 Viognier-Chardonnay (about $14) makes an excellent choice. This upscale second label from Yakima Valley’s Hyatt Vineyards has beautiful peach and floral aromas with generous flavors of apple, banana and tropical fruit. It’s capped by a toasty oak finish with lingering hints of vanilla. Serve slightly chilled and enjoy.

8:30 am to 4:15 pm - Washington State University Learning Center at Skagit Valley College, Mt. Vernon. Featuring Dr. Ann Noble, Professor Emeritus of Enology at the University of California Davis.

This class is designed for wine judges, media, sommeliers and winemakers who really want to take the wine tasting experience to the next level. Seldom will you have a better opportunity to learn from a wine expert of this caliber so close to home. Go to this link: WSU Learning Centers for registration details and more information.

8:30 am to 4:15 pm - Washington State University Learning Center at Skagit Valley College, Mt. Vernon. Featuring Dr. Ann Noble, Professor Emeritus of Enology at the University of California Davis.

This promises to be a terrific class for winery and restaurant staff, amateur winemakers and wine enthusiasts. The class will cover topics such as descriptive analysis of wines and learning how to detect defective wines and it will be taught by a world-class instructor. Go to this link: WSU Learning Centers for registration details and more information.

Several wineries bottle their wines as something that’s referred to as a “second label.” A second label might showcase grapes from a separate vineyard but more commonly offers consumers a line of wines in a different price range – usually lower – than the winery’s primary label.

You shouldn’t assume, however, that you’ll be sacrificing a degree of quality by purchasing second label wines. A case in point is Stonecap Wines, a second label for Goose Ridge Vineyards in Kennewick. Goose Ridge has ties to winemaker guru Charlie Hoppes and Stonecap is an offshoot of this critically acclaimed Columbia Valley winery that offers wines a good $5 to $10 a bottle less than the Goose Ridge line.

I recently tried the Stonecap 2004 Syrah. This tasty Northwest wine has a beautiful blueberry aroma, smoky berry and plum flavors and a nice dash of acidity to balance everything out. Throw in the screw cap and about a $12 to $14 price tag (I picked up mine on sale at the Barkley Haggen for $9.99) and you’ve got an unostentatious, hidden gem of a wine.

Doug Charles of Compass Wines in Anacortes selected this Syrah as his 2006 Washington wine of the year; a noteworthy honor from someone who sells a lot of wine. Charles commented that, “This wine puts to rest the argument that great Washington wines need to be expensive.”

Other Stonecap current releases include a 2004 Chardonnay and a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon – both retailing for around the same $12 to $14 a bottle price range. For more information visit www.stonecapwines.com.

Over 200 Washington winemakers and nearly 800 Washington wines along with food from regional restaurants will be showcased at this popular event at Qwest Field Events Center in Seattle.

The tasting will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 pm and costs $85. For an additional $40, you earn admission to the VIP Tasting, which runs from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Visit www.tastewashington.org to purchase tickets and get information about this and related events that will be held on April 14.