Easter is a sign that spring has finally arrived and also is a time for family celebration. Traditional Easter menus center around either a roasted ham or lamb, begging the question, “Which wine goes best with either the roasted ham or lamb?”
For roasted ham, the best “tried and true” companion wines are Riesling or Gewürztraminer. Both tend to offer fresh, flavorful taste profiles with enough sweet fruit to balance the salt in the ham and enough acidity to support the combination, without compromising the flavor in either the ham or the wine. If choosing a red wine, fruit-forward Zinfandel would be the perfect choice to handle ham’s sweeter side.
Lamb, the traditional meat of the day, whether it be spring lamb, leg of lamb, rack of lamb or stuffed lamb, the strategy is to stick with well grounded reds such as Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Tempranillo or Shiraz. These have decent tannin structure, good fruit and a long finish. The over-all goal is to have a red wine with enough fruit and acidity that handles the robust flavors of the lamb, but not overpower it in the process.
Hop in and celebrate Easter by pulling the cork on that special bottle of wine – something new you haven’t tried!
