Wines to pair with traditional Easter fare
While there are absolutely no fixed rules for matching wines to different dishes, there are some pairings which just seem made for each other. Food and wine pairing is by no means an exact science, yet if you achieve the right balance of flavours, the result can be most rewarding. With Easter just around the corner, there is plenty of scope for choosing some interesting wines to drink alongside the traditional fare.
Fish and seafood for Good Friday goes without saying and Easter Sunday wouldn’t be Easter Sunday without a delicious joint of roast lamb, preferably from the South Downs. Traditionalists would serve the classics at these occasions, starting with a cool glass of Champagne for the apéritif, followed by a selection of red and white wines from the Bourgogne region of Eastern France – white for Good Friday and red with the lamb.
Most white burgundy is from the chardonnay grape and the best reds are from Pinot Noir, and it is these varieties that can pair so well with seafood and lamb respectively. Since these grapes are not confined simply to Burgundy, here are some interesting wines from other regions which can be paired equally well with the fish and the lamb.
Abbotts & Delaunay, Fleurs Sauvages, Pays d’Oc, Chardonnay 2020 is new in at Majestic, just in time for Easter and well-priced at £9.99 per bottle (£8.99 mix six). Chardonnay grapes are carefully selected from different regions of the Languedoc and blended to produce a concentrated and complex wine at this level. Fresh, dry and balanced with notes of pear and granny smith apples, the finish is long and buttery. Perfect with lemon sole fillets and even fish and chips (without the vinegar!).
Another interestingly different chardonnay is Journey’s End Winemaker’s Reserve 2021 from Stellenbosch in South Africa. Stamped with the Fairtrade label, only 90 barrels were produced, carefully aged for eight months in French oak to increase subtlety and complexity. Rich yet fresh, vanilla and subtle citrus notes balance well with ripe fruit flavours. £12.50 from M&S or £10 from Ocado before April 19. Creamy fish pie or Thai salmon fishcakes await.
And now for the lamb. Since many cuts have a relatively high fat content, Pinot Noir pairs perfectly with its good level of acidity. La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir 2020, Vin de France, comes from the Languedoc in Southern France, with grapes grown near the sea blended with others sourced from the dry garrigue hills. Easy drinking, soft and subtle, with raspberry and red cherry flavours, hints of spice and wild herbs. Majestic £10.99 (£8.99, mix six).
Deeper and more complex in flavour, approaching the classic burgundy style, is a Pinot Noir from Errazuriz, in my mind one of the best producers in Chile. The Aconcagua Costa 2020 is subtle, elegant, yet full flavoured with freshness derived from vineyards close to the Pacific Ocean. Red fruits and wild strawberries combine with the typical mushroom earthiness of good Pinot Noir, medium body with a ripe tannic backbone. Around £16 a bottle from online merchants such as The Oxford Wine co.