Best Wines for the Easter Meal
We are very excited that easter is quickly approaching, as is the need to prepare a delicious menu to entertain our family and friends. To make it as memorable as possible, we need not only to arrange the menu but the wine pairing as well. In this blog, I´ll give you all the tips to find inspiring food pairings to make this Easter celebration as enjoyable as possible.
Traditional easter meals vary depending on the country, but in the different European countries, there are some ingredients that are common across different cultures, like for example lamb, eggs, bread, and seasonal vegetables such as asparagus, peas and potatoes. Given the similarities across borders, I´m sure that you will find inspiring wine pairings in this blog.
Wine pairing may appear hard and a craft that few can master at first but remember that wine pairing should be a fun experience and that taste is very personal. However, I´ll give you some guidelines, so that you can succeed when pairing a delicious bottle with your exquisite food.
White Wines to Pair with Easter Dishes
If you are a white lover and you are looking for white wines to pair with easter dishes, I recommend looking for grapes such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or a Riesling.
1. Chardonnay, from D.O. Navarra, in the northern part of Spain. This wine is perfect to pair with fish and grilled vegetables. With a smooth and buttery taste, and an exquisite aromatic intensity, Finca Legardeta will pair perfectly with vegetables, fish or roasted chicken.
2. Organic Sauvignon Blanc, from D.O. Rueda, in Spain. This delicious and easy to drink sauvignon blanc is a crowd pleaser. With citrus and mint aromas, this Sauvignon blanc is perfect to pair with spring flavour dishes of vegetables and herbs.
Given that at Easter it is very popular to add vegetables to the main dish, this Sauvignon blanc is perfect for the special occasion.
3. Riesling, Germany. If you are trying to cut back your alcohol consumption on Easter, we have the perfect option for you. This strong and aromatic Riesling has all the aromas and taste of a Riesling wine but without the alcohol content. A riesling is a great option for an easter dish thanks to its crisp acidity and the green apple and lime flavours, which pair perfectly with lamb, a typical Easter dish.
Red Wines to Pair with Easter Dishes
Red wines are very versatile and are great with almost all types of food. At Easter, it is popular to prepare dishes with ham, lamb, roast beef, turkey or vegetarian dishes. Of course, red grapes go well with all of these foods. I recommend looking for wines composed of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, Syrah or Grenache, or a delicious Italian wine from DOC Chianti at this special event.
1. Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir grapes pair perfectly with ham dishes, as it will complement the sweetness of the glaze of the ham with is high acidity. I recommend the smooth and gentle Valmoissine Pinot Noir 2019 crafted by the famous winery Louis Latour, just outside the Burgundy region of France.
2. Cabernet Sauvignon. You won´t be wrong with the classical cabernet sauvignon. What I love about wines made of these grapes are the red forest fruit aromas, combined with notes of raspberries and red berries. Cabernet Sauvignon pairs perfectly with the typical easter dish made of lamb. A popular way of cooking lamb is pairing it with a mint sauce and seasonal vegetables. For this exquisite dish, we recommend the premium Marques de Griñon Cabernet Sauvignon, from D.O.P Valdepusa, in Spain.
3. Merlot. Merlot is another excellent wine that goes well with lamb meals. It pairs well with this type of dish due to its smooth and well-rounded style.
I enjoy a 100% Merlot bottle from D.O. Emporda, located in northern Catalonia near the French border. The grapes were gathered by hand, and only the best grapes were used to make this outstanding wine. I enjoy the fruity scents and the well-structured taste that this red bottle offers.
4. Syrah. If you are serving roast beef for Easter, then I recommend pairing it with a nice syrah wine. The bold flavour of the Syrah grape will balance perfectly with the richness of the red meat. A great wine worth trying is Arrayan Syrah 2016, an excellent bottle that has been awarded 90 points by James Suckling.
5. Grenache. If you are serving Turkey for Easter, then I would recommend a nice bottle made of grenache grapes. The acidity of the grenache will pair perfectly with the flavour of the turkey, without overpowering the dish, resulting in a very elegant and smooth wine pairing combination. If you are looking for a hidden gem, that you can only find if you visit the winery, I would recommend Laventura Grenache 2019. An excellent bottle made 100% of grenache grapes from D.O, Rioja.
6. Chianti. If you intend to serve vegetarian foods at the Easter supper table, I recommend a bottle of DOC Chianti made from Sangiovese and Canaiolo grapes. The smooth flavour and lingering finish will wonderfully complement the flavours of the vegetables without overpowering them.
Dessert Wines to Pair with Easter Dishes
Any meal is incomplete without a delectable dessert, as there is always room for dessert, especially at Easter supper. Traditional Easter sweets include a fruity tart, a classic carrot cake, and a chocolate dessert. Whatever you serve, you should end the meal in elegance and with the appropriate wine pairing.
For dessert wine, I recommend the following grapes, so that you can end the meal in style:
1. Monastrell: An excellent option to pair with a sweet dessert. A sweet red wine made of monastrell pairs perfectly with a chocolate dessert, as the aromas of dried figs and blackberries balance with the bittersweet taste of chocolate. I recommend Alta Alella Dolç Mataro Organic 2019, an organic sweet red wine from D.O. Alella, a wine region 30 minutes away from Barcelona.
2. Hondarrabi Zerratia: A native grape variety from the basque country, in the northern part of Spain. This hidden gem from the Basque country is gaining popularity for its vibrant acidity and complex aromatic intensity, which pairs perfectly with fruity desserts, like fruit tarts, sorbets or citrus-based sweets. I recommend trying a very special white wine selected the best sweet wine of Spain in 2014, Arima Vendimia Tardia 2019 Sweet White Wine if you are looking to impress your guests with something truly local and special.
In conclusion, there are plenty of options to enhance your easter meal with these different wines. Whether you are looking for a fresh sauvignon blanc or a fruity Pinot Noir, I hope that in this blog you found the necessary inspiration to make a perfect choice.
Remember, food and wine pairing should be a very joyful experience and you should experiment and try new things to discover what works best for you! If you want to discover new wines and new grape varieties, don´t forget to visit our wine store and subscribe to our newsletter!
See you later, wine lover,
Victoria Estrada
