This Sunday is Easter Sunday, a significant celebration that traditionally includes family, friends and — of course — food.
I said “traditionally,” because this Easter Sunday will probably be anything but traditional. With the
pandemic still looming large and state-mandated shelter-in-place orders, chances are this Easter is going to involve creative ways of connecting either remotely and/or loving the ones you’re (stuck) with.
Hopefully, you were able to take the appropriate precautions and get out long enough to acquire the necessary provisions to prepare a festive meal. And with any luck, one of those provisions was a bottle or two of wine.
But if practicing responsible social distancing and minimal trips to the grocery store have left your wine stocks running low, don’t fret. Chances are there is something laying around the house/condo/apartment that can still play an important role this Sunday, providing a grace note to both the meal and the festive nature of the holiday, even if the table isn’t as crowded as usual.
Many people celebrate Easter with a wide variety of main dishes, ranging from ham and turkey, to rib roast and spring lamb. And since running out and buying a specific wine for your particular main
attraction of choice at this point might be difficult, if not wholly unwise, I thought I would provide a
general wine guide based on the protein you’re serving this Sunday.
So here are a few useful suggestions that should pair well with an assortment of Easter dishes.
Ham
Ham is a traditional center piece on many Easter dinner tables, so finding a wine that can hold up to the richness of the meat and tame the saltiness is critical.
In general, I think a dry riesling would be my white wine of choice, since it has wonderful minerality and crisp acidity to counterbalance the richness of ham. Of course, you also can’t go wrong with a slightly off-dry (read: barely sweet) riesling either, and it might have more appeal to a wider range of palates. And don’t overlook dry sherry, such as a Fino or Manzanilla. If you want red wine with ham, I personally like a richer pinot noir.
Turkey
Turkey is very versatile and most white wines will do very well as a sidekick.
I am particularly fond of just about any Italian white wine, such as Gavi, Soave and Vermentino to name a few. Pinot gris (aka pinot grigio) is also a good choice. Depending on the oak level (less is better), chardonnay might work well. While there is a large range of flavor profiles associated with each of these varieties, turkey is the perfect canvas to handle this diversity.
If you need red wine, Gammay (i.e. Beaujolais) is light, bright and ready for action when it comes to making turkey shine.
Lamb
If spring lamb is your main event, then head into the headier red wine category.
Syrah and syrah-based blends were made for lamb. Some suggestions include Australian shiraz, domestic syrah, and of course, wines from the Chateauneuf du Pape region in France. No syrah? No worries: malbec- and Grenache-based wines are also a great alternative.
Beef
Lastly, standing rib roast or steak is always happy to see a bottle of merlot or cabernet sauvignon from any country on the table.
Opening the wine an hour or so ahead of time is generally a good idea and gives the wine a chance to mellow out a bit and really enhance the flavor of the beef.
And, if you happen to have a bottle of bubbly around, definitely wash your hands, pop the cork, keep your distance and toast to a brighter tomorrow.
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