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Wines for Easter
A biog post by Marjorie Cropp, Cellar Showroom Assistant
It’s spring! Well, apparently so, even though it feels quite difficult to believe it sometimes. Will the spring/summer wardrobe ever come out of the loft?
Easter is well and truly upon us and supermarkets once again did not fail to remind us of it, having started selling hot cross buns and Easter chocolate bunnies some time around Boxing Day.
Chocolate is one thing at Easter, and an Easter egg hunt will definitely be on the cards on Sunday (thought it’d likely to be indoors, given the forecast…!) , but let’s not forget about all the delicious food that is becoming available now that we are officially in spring!
Easter is quite early this year, so we will have to wait a little longer to have a taste of asparagus (with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce! Bring it on!) But Easter Sunday lunch in my house will most probably consists of slow-roasted shoulder of lamb served with spring greens, roast spuds and smashed root veg. A gorgeously rich gravy made from the roasting juices and a refreshing mint jelly on the side will accompany the succulent meat and I cannot wait! To honour such a feast, an equally gorgeous wine should go with it, right? Here are a few suggestions for you:
- The Society’s Sicilian Reserve Red 2013, a deliciously smooth and rich red made from nero d’Avola grape variety:
- Las Piletas Uco Valley Malbec, Special Selection for The Wine Society 2015, a very elegant example of the malbec grape:
- Gigondas Tradition, Moulin de la Gardette 2014 from the southern part of the Rhône Valley, my favourite area of France (and not just for the wine – it is so beautiful out there!)
How about dessert? Will it be the obvious – something chocolatey? Chocolate is actually quite tricky to match, but do not forget the golden rule in terms of food and wine matching: the wine should always be sweeter than the food! I remember when I was growing up and my parents entertained friends, my dad would often serve Champagne to accompany a chocolate dessert, and even back then (I was probably only around 13 years old. That’s the French way…!) I thought it didn’t work. The chocolate tasted very bitter and the Champagne very acidic.
So in order to avoid that sort of disaster, here are some much more appropriate choices:
- Henriques and Henriques Malvasia, 10 years old, beautifully sweet Madeira that would be just great with an intense dark chocolate and coffee mousse:
- Rutherglen Muscat Stanton and Killeen 12 years old, gloriously rich and sticky, ideal for chocolate fondant with a salted caramel centre:
- Rivesaltes Vin Doux Naturel, Parcé Frères 1998, an wonderful amber nectar from the Roussillon and the perfect match to a chocolate and caramelised orange tart:
How about you? What will you drink this Easter weekend? Get more inspiration on the Easter wines topic.
Marjorie
