Wine pairings for all your classic Easter dishes
From lamb to ham, brunch to dinner, these wine pairings are classic matches for all your Easter dishes.
by Erin
This week on Wednesday’s virtual wine tasting on our Instagram, the topic is classic wine pairings for your Easter dishes.
Fair enough, this holiday is a bit different than past years – the Covid-19 lockdown has us all social distancing away from the people we love. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use this weekend as an opportunity to celebrate that most of us are lucky enough to be healthy, safe at home, and have people to miss.
In fact, there’s a small movement going on right now with wine lovers. #openthatbottle is all about savouring the moment, stop saving your precious collection for one day, and appreciate that “one day” is today.
No matter how you’re marking the weekend, or with how many people, hopefully you’ll take this opportunity to treat yourself to something great.
To help honour the holiday, we’ve dusted off an Easter pairing blog we wrote back in 2014 and updated it for today. Remember, nearly 100 Ontario wineries are offering free delivery, as are a number of wine agencies an if you move quickly you can still get your Easter wines in time for the weekend.
Brunch
Quiche Lorraine & Gamay
Not everyone relishes the idea of red wine and eggs. But, if you’re in the mood to kiss the edge of gastronomic danger, we think you will be justly rewarded for your boldness. Quiche Lorraine, which is made up of bacon, onions and Gruyere, is savoury, salty, and rich. A fruity, earthy, low tannin Gamay compliments the quiche in spades.
Try: 13th Street Gamay, VQA Niagara Peninsula, $19.95
Leek & Asparagus Frittata & Sauvignon Blanc
Eggs, leeks and asparagus. Those notoriously difficult-to-match ingredients can send a oenophile into a full blown panic attack. When the bases are loaded like that, call in a classic. Sauvignon Blanc, with its herbaceous edge, is the happy bedfellow to those temperamental foods.
Try: Creekside “Iconoclast” Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion, VQA Niagara Peninsula, $23
Smoked Salmon & Chardonnay
A popular Easter brunch, smoked salmon is oily in texture, with a lightly smoky flavour. We like to pair it with a crisp Chablis, or unoaked Chardonnay. The wine’s focused acidity, and flinty, citrus and slightly saline flavours are a brilliant compliment.
Try: Two Sisters Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay, VQA Niagara Peninsula $38.80
Blueberry Blintzes & off-dry sparkling wine
With a taste reminiscent of cheesecake, these elegant crepe-like rolls are an utterly delicious way to brunch. Because there’s an inherent sweetness to the dish, opt for a slightly sweet Moscato, a wine that’s charmingly effervescent, enticingly fruity, and has a brunch appropriate low-alcohol lightness.
Try: Benjamin Bridge “Nova 7” Sparkling, Nova Scotia$24.95
Dinner
Rack of Lamb & Pinot Noir
Our recent Instagram poll shows lamb as the clear winner for Easter feasts. With lamb’s earthy, gamey flavours, we like to pair a wine that echoes the same flavours and has a bit of punchy acidity for lift.
Try: Tawse “Quarry Road” Pinot Noir Natural, VQA Vinemount Ridge $35.15
Baked Ham & Rosé
Traditional baked ham has a salty-sweet flavour, a richness that makes it a bit too indulgent to really be considered “the other” white meat, but a bit too light to really be taken seriously as a red meat. The vinous counterpart is rosé – especially a darker pink wine that has a bit more body.
Try: Chateau des Charmes “Cuvée d’Andrée” Rosé, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $16.95
Turkey & Bubbly
If turkey’s always the guest of honour at your holiday table, you have lots of flexibility for everything from rich whites to fruity reds. But this is a celebration. Why not pop some bubbly?
Try: Jackson-Triggs “Entourage” Grand Reserve Brut, VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95