Let the Rioja roll
Cooking a joint of lamb for the family this Easter weekend? Then Christine Austin has the perfect wines to complement the occasion plus a fine port or Madeira to round off the meal.
HOW many family members will be settling their feet under your table this Easter? Whether you manage to get a full complement of children, perhaps grandchildren and maybe a few friends, or perhaps they are all heading off to chase the last snow in France or Switzerland, then it is time to head out and gather a few nice bites and bottles to make this weekend really special.
Of course, it helps if you can rustle up a nice joint of lamb for tomorrow’s lunch. Easter is the classic time to snip some sprigs of rosemary, slice a few cloves of garlic and stud a leg of lamb with herbs and flavour, then roast it in a hot oven.
Its delicate, sweet meat is a joy with all the usual accompaniments of roasties, Yorkshire pudding and a selection of veg. But make sure you steer clear of those flavour hazards that usually get brought out with lamb.
Go easy on the redcurrant jelly and certainly don’t let mint sauce go within a mile of your plate.
That is the option for a large family gathering but if numbers are limited then a rack of lamb takes almost no time to cook, leaving you free to head out for a walk or just a wander around the garden.
Either way you will need to line up a bottle or two to accompany the meal. The wine you choose to accompany this dish will set the tone for the day, so select with care.
Rioja is the classic wine to accompany lamb. Its gentle cherry and redcurrant fruit flavours, usually with a streak of oak, marry perfectly with the meat. In particular, youthful Riojas with the emphasis on fruit rather than faded grandeur and a touch too much oak shows that this favourite region has re-invented itself. Head to Sainsbury where Beronia Rioja Reserva 2018 is down from its usual £15 to £13 until April 11.
This is a warm, food-friendly style of Rioja with ripe damson and raspberry fruit, and a touch of cinnamon and light oak. It combines with lamb without dominating the dish. Booths also have a good deal on Rioja with Cvne Rioja Crianza 2019 down from £10 to £7.50.
This is a fruit-forward style of Rioja with just a hint of vanilla oak supporting the ripe bramble fruit.
Step up to Viña Ardanza Rioja 2016 from Majestic (£27.99 for a single bottle, £15.99 on a mix six deal) for its sheer silky, complex style. Aged traditionally, this manages to keep deep red fruit flavours to the fore while wrapping itself in light vanilla notes lifted with cinnamon.
Even more complex in style, with fruit upfront backed by layers of savoury spice and a hint of oak is Muga Reserva 2017 (Penistone Wine Cellars £21.06). Muga is one of the most traditional bodegas in Rioja with its own cooperage and a real attention to detail, especially when it comes to ageing the wines.
This wine has spent two years in oak and another year in bottle, before being released, yet it still shows fruit upfront.
If you have gathered up a few friends to join you for that Easter lunch then a big bottle is always impressive and Field and Fawcett in York has a magnum of Luis Alegre’s Rioja Crianza 2014 (£27.50) with red cherry fruit, backed by herb scents that match that bouquet garni of thyme and rosemary you have spiked your meat with.
Claret is another classic partner for lamb and St Emilion partners lamb better than most. Waitrose has a fine selection of wellmade Bordeaux wines including Dourthe’s Réserve Montagne St Emilion 2020, now down from £12.99 to £9.99 until April 11 which is drinking well right now with bright, cassis fruit and soft tannins.
Alternatively, why not step up to Ch Laroque Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2014 (£29.99) for its fragrant, silky style with a long savoury finish.
Alternatively, if you happen to be near Beverley this weekend then call in to Roberts and Speight where they have the smooth, supple fruit of Ch. La Tour de By 2019, on offer at £19.99. This property consistently produces good wines and provides terrific flavours for money.
As a finale to the meal, a chocolate pud is essential at Easter. If you have some port left over from Christmas, then bring it out from the back of the cupboard where it has been languishing for several months and decide what to do with it.
If it has lost its top notes, then pour a splash into every sauce and gravy you make until it is finished. Alternatively, if you think you can drink it, then a glass of ruby or Late Bottled Vintage port makes a fine accompaniment to all kinds of chocolate desserts.
Re-stock with the smooth, plums and blackberry flavours of Taylor’s LBV port, currently down from £15.50 to £12.50 at Booths. At this price you can afford to pour it generously even as a mid-morning restorative after a brisk walk.
When a mid-afternoon slice of Simnel cake appears the choice should be Madeira, such as Henriques and Henriques 5-year-old Rich Madeira which has all the nuts, figs and spice flavours you need, backed by clear freshness.
Booths has this down from £12 to £10 until April 11.
Now the clocks have gone forward and there is spring in the air, then a glass of English sparkling wine becomes necessary whenever the sun decides to shine. Not only do its fresh, English garden aromas seem entirely appropriate as the garden bursts into life, but with the Coronation approaching we should lay down some stocks of fizz to raise a glass to this new era.
Morrisons has the clean, fresh-tasting bubbles from Kent’s Chapel Down, reduced from £27 to £22 until April 11, while the best flavours for money are at Morrisons whose own-label Vintage 2010 English Sparkling wine has aged into gorgeous complexity.
Baked apple and citrus notes with a savoury toasted brioche finish will welcome friends and family to your table this long Easter weekend.