Western Easter is very early this year—luckily you have time to find the perfect wine for Easter dinner.
The traditional dinner of Ham is a great food to pair wine with. It allows us to break away from the usual cabernet and chardonnay most people have with dinners. The light texture and easy flavors of Ham cry out for crisp clean lower alcohol wines, Riesling is the classic match for ham. German Riesling has the sweetness to mesh well with the saltiness of ham. Try a kabinett for the perfect balance of sweetness. J. Friedrich has a nice Piesporter Michelsburg kabinett that is a great wine. Not too expensive, but tastes outstanding.
If you want to be a little more trendy and cutting edge—Roses are all the rage! Roses’ have a pink color that looks beautiful in your glass. They will typically have aromas of berries and slight spices. Don’t be afraid of pink wines. Not all pink wines are sugary sweet or cloying. True roses have beautiful complexity and will tantalize your taste buds. Try a good French rose from Tavel or Provence. If you are into celebrity, try the MIraval Provence rose. It is a nice rose form Provence (a region in southeast France). Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie own Miraval. The good thing is when celebrities open a winery they have a lot of money and aren’t afraid to spend it. You get a great wine that they love and they will spare no expense to get it. The Miraval Rose has enough refreshing acidity to liven up any meal. And it will go perfect with Ham!
If you are doing a little more adventurous food like prime rib or lamb, there are amazing choices for red wines that will be perfect with dinner. Prime rib is the richest and most flavorful of meats. The high content of flavorful fats beckon for the rich robust tannic flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet is the king of the grapes. The tannins in cabernet will balance out the juicy flavors of your fine cut of meat. Tannin is the dry characteristic of wine that hits the back of your throat and may turn off the beginning wine drinker. But try a good cabernet with your meats. A great choice is Greystone Cabernet. Greystone is a project from the Markham family of wines. Greystone is the “House” wine of the Culinary Institute of America. You know it is a good wine if the burgeoning chefs use it while learning their craft!
In Greek households, Lamb is the traditional Easter meal. The gaminess of wine is a great match for Syrah or Shiraz. Remember Syrah and Shiraz is the same wine. In France and America we call it Syrah. In Australia they coined the term Shiraz. Shiraz is wine with blackberry, mint and pepper flavors and great depth. My wife loves Shiraz because it’s a little softer and more fruit forward than Cabernet. Since she loves Shiraz—It is now my favorite too! It is easier to keep the peace if we enjoy the same wines! Try Schild Shiraz from Australia. It is Inky black, rich and sumptuous.
After dinner liqueurs like a Baileys Irish crème or Kahlua are a great finish to every dinner. The sweetness will satisfy everyone and it always is a treat to add a little something to the coffee! IF you want a little different twist—have a bottle of Frangelico or Chambord. Hazelnut and Black Raspberry are the flavors and they are great sippers and will help settle your stomach after a rich meal! Or put these two favorites together and drizzle a little heavy cream for an awesome cocktail called the Nuts and Berries.
Easter is the beginning of spring and the season of rebirth. Don’t be afraid to try a new wine or liquor and resurrect your taste buds! Enjoy in moderation and Cheers!
