When we think of Easter, we often think about luxurious food and getting together for that perfect Sunday lunch or family get together. So to make the most out of your favourite recipes, no matter what meat or veg you are planning on preparing this April, we have created this content and put together a guide to tell you about the perfect pairing of wine to accompany your food to complete your meal.
Firstly before you serve any food, it might be a nice idea to serve some bubbles of your choice to your guests as they arrive or just before you serve your meal. Champagne is star rated product when it comes to a cause of celebration and after all, Easter only comes round once a year!
What to Pair with Lamb
Let’s start with lamb as roast lamb is often a favoured meat at Easter time. Many of us view lamb as a traditional choice and a popular one for homes across the UK. Lamb is in good stock supply around springtime as this is when it is at its very best.
What you want when pairing your wine with your roast lamb is to go for something medium to full-bodied. You want a wine with enough tannins to balance out the full flavour, texture and fat content within your lamb. To do this, you really can’t go wrong with red wine with lamb – this makes for the absolute classic pairing.
Different types of red wine you can try include Bordeaux, Pinot Noir or Shiraz to go with your meal. The ultimate go-to combination some would say would be the Bordeaux, but don’t be afraid to mix things up and try something a little different. As the fruitfulness of a New Zealand Pinot Noir or an Australian Shiraz would show off your lamb beautifully.
Do not fear if any of your guests are not a fan of red wine as white wine is not ruled out – just stay away from tart wines and go for creamy white wines such as an oaked California Chardonnay or a Chenin Blanc. These will still make a fine addition to your meal.
What to Pair with Ham
Another favourite for your Easter dinner plate is ham. There are many great pairings that go with this meat, and both red and wine go well. The sweetness and saltiness of ham means it is best paired with fine wines that have a bold fruitiness, plenty of acidities and a touch of sweetness too. With white wine, you’re after medium-bodied and fruity wine such as a Riesling. Gewürztraminer would make for the perfect pour as the acidity will make a nice counterpart to the richness of the won’t overpower it.
If red wine is your thing, then some red wines go nicely too. You want to stay away from anything too overpowering with heavy tannins and try something vibrant like a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais or an Oregon, Zweigelt.
What to Pair with Fish
The tradition of eating fish at easter still continues for many people and their families. The habit often exists to pair fish more often than not with white wine. However, the more experienced wine drinkers and experts will tell you this doesn’t always have to be the case. It often depends on the kind of fish you are cooking and how you prepare it – but fish doesn’t always have to be limited to white wines per fish dish.
Chardonnay is a safe choice for flaky fish such as salmon because it needs to be accompanied by a wine that has some weight to it. Whilst fish can also be enjoyed with red wines such as Pinot Noir, Merlot or Zinfandel, for light fish like cod or fish like salmon and tuna. The fruitiness of red wine is great to complement and tone down any ‘fishy’ tastes.
What to Pair with Vegetables
For all the veggies and vegans out there we’ve too got you covered, or if you simply want to accompany your roasted veggies with your meat of choice, try some rich bodied whites or some medium-bodied reds such as Grenache or Tempranillo.
If the vegetables in your meal are a little lighter, a white such as a Sauvignon Blanc will be a good bet, plus it works well with a variety of other foods.