The month of March moves us toward spring and the brilliant profusion of cherry trees in bloom. During the gray, damp days on the late edge of winter, we daydream of hanami parties. In Tokyo, we'll play a guitar on a blanket in Inokashira Park, eat sushi rolls under the tunnel of blossoms in Aoyama Cemetery, or meet for a picnic on the sprawling lawns of the Teien Museum. No matter where we find the perfect cherry-viewing spot, a good glass of wine invites us to toast spring's arrival.

We're thinking of a wine that evokes the season -- bright, exuberant and golden, wafting with aromas of grass, flowers or herbs. After the long red-wine boom of the '90s, now is the time to re-investigate white wines.

Spring's warmer weather calls for something crisp and refreshing. Shops and wine menus are loaded with Chardonnay from places as far away as Argentina and Bulgaria. But too often, low-grade Chardonnay is heavily oaked to make up for a lack of other distinctions. Such treatment yields generic white wines larded with cream, butter and vanilla flavors reminiscent of custard pie. A hanami party is a good occasion to discover other shades of white wine. That search takes us to terrain still unfamiliar to most international wine consumers: Riesling from Washington State.

In the past few decades, the Riesling grape has been overlooked and out of vogue, except to its most ardent fans. And in widespread public perception, U.S. wines are still synonymous with California's Napa Valley -- even though Washington is home to one of the country's oldest wineries. Thus, it was a stunning, unpredictable triumph when a Washington Riesling grabbed recent headlines in two of the world's most influential wine magazines, Wine Spectator (U.S.) and Decanter (U.K.) and began appearing at ultra-hot restaurants like Gary Danko in San Francisco.

The 2000 Eroica Riesling was created from joint efforts between Washington State's Chateau Ste. Michelle winery and Germany's renowned Dr. Loosen estate. In the mid-1960s, Chateau Ste. Michelle became one of Washington's pioneering wineries, under the guidance of the legendary oenologist Andre Tchelistcheff. Weingut Dr. Loosen, on the other hand, is a classic, Old World Riesling producer, located for over 200 years in prime Riesling terroir along the Mosel River. At first glance, these two estates might appear unlikely partners. But together, they have produced an elegant, new-wave classic from Washington fruit that seems poised to contribute to Riesling's stealth comeback.

The 2000 Eroica unfurls with bright flavors of nectarine, peach, honeydew, green pepper and a zing of lime on its crisp finish. It possesses the startling juxtaposition of rich fruit and acidic tang that makes good Riesling dance in the mouth. Priced at about 3,000 yen, it is available at Wine Market Party Ebisu, (03) 5424-2580, and Nissin World Delicatessen (03) 3583-4586.

For folks who are keen to taste more great wines from the Pacific Northwest, Friends of the Vine offers a Chehalem wine special this month. Chehalem winery in Oregon focuses on Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The spring 2002 issue of Wine Okoku (Wine Kingdom) magazine will feature Wine Spectator columnist Matt Kramer's picks for his top 70 American wines -- including Chehalem.

Friends of the Vine currently stocks the 1998 and 1999 Chehalem wines -- two years ranking among Oregon's top vintages. Contact Hamamoto-san at Friends of the Vine for details: e-mail fov@fovwine. com or call (042) 956-5669.

March brings more tasting opportunities. Located in Harajuku, the Pink Cow is a comfy, neighborhood hangout for people interested in the arts. The Cow hosts monthly wine-tastings as well. Owner Tracy Consoli cooks a homemade buffet to go with the wines. This month's tastings take place on the 14th (Thursday) and 24th (Sunday). The cost in advance is 5 yen,500/person or 6 yen,000/person at the door. Call (03) 5411-6777 or e-mail thepinkcow@tokyo. com.

On March 27, Fujimamas hosts another of its wine dinner extravaganzas, this time featuring California's Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates. Chef Mark Vann is preparing a six-course feast to complement wines from three different KJ estates. KJ Export Director Steven Messinger will speak about the wines. Pre-paid reservations 14 yen,000/person. Call (03) 5485-2262 or e-mail wine [email protected].