Easter Sunday is fast approaching. Sadly, we won’t be able to share the holiday with extended family and friends this year. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t splurge a little on a nice bottle of wine. In fact, this is the perfect time to treat ourselves after these past few weeks of social distancing, homeschooling and constantly watching cable news. So take a shower, change out of those pajamas, prepare (or order in) a special Easter dinner, and crack open a beautiful bottle of wine. Here are recommendations of excellent wines to pair with some traditional Easter dishes.
Lamb:
Perrin & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards 2017 ($37)
Chateauneuf-du-Pape (or CdP for short) is the renowned wine region in the Southern Rhone Valley of France, producing stunningly full-bodied, rich, yet elegant blends that are some of my favorites. Prices for CdPs generally range from $30 to well above $150 a bottle. These are arguably the closest wines you’ll get in France to those big, fruit-forward new worlds wines you may enjoy from regions like California. CdP red wines are based predominantly on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM), but 13 different grape varieties are permitted. The Perrin & Fils CdP has flavors of ripe raspberry, plum, blackcurrant, licorice and smoke. It has enough body to stand up to roasted lamb, but has the elegance and smoothness not to overpower the flavors of the dish.
Glazed Ham:
Domaine Huet Le Haut-lieu Demi Sec 2017 ($28)
Vouvray is a white wine made from Chenin Blanc grapes produced in the Vouvray region of France’s Loire Valley. It is also one of my favorite white wine varieties. The Domaine Huet Demi-Sec Vouvray pairs beautifully with the lightly sweet and salty flavors of a glazed ham because it has just a touch of residual sugar, so this wine can easily hold its own against the richness of this dish. It is bursting with flavors of honey, apples, citrus and floral notes, all balanced with a streak of mouth-watering acidity.
Pork Roast:
Luca Malbec 2016 ($25)
Malbec is the national grape variety of Argentina, where it makes full-bodied, fruity wines that aren’t overpowered with mouth-drying tannins. The Luca Malbec has aromas of blackberry, plum and leather, with the fruit balanced by some earthiness. The softness of this wine works beautifully with leaner cuts of meat, like this roast pork.
Cheers, and Happy Easter!
