Wine Pairings for Any Easter Feast

• April 5, 2023
• Holidays and Special Occasions

A wine for anything on your holiday table.

by Erin Henderson

The Easter long weekend fast approches, which also happens to land in the middle of Passover, and both take place in the middle of Ramadan. 
 
Before I go further, I should confess I am in no way an authority on the religious significance of any of these holidays, nor can I comment on the ceremonial meals they may involve. In my house, we lightly recognize Easter, but more for the celebrating than the sacred. If you are observant, I wish you all the light and love this time holds.
 
For those of us who are gathering with friends and family on the long weekend to break bread in a more casual, slightly secular atmosphere, hopefully this blog post will offer some inspiration for your spring dinners.

While Thanksgiving is the day dedicated to turkey, and Christmas divided between the bird and ham, seemingly anything goes at Easter. Turkey, ham, seafood, lamb… it’s all on offer.
 
In my house, as I’ve already stated, we don’t observe any religious doctrine when it comes to the meal. In the past, we’ve made everything from beef tenderloin to prime rib, to roast turkey, and even pasta. 

 
As we wrote about for Thanksgiving, it’s a fool’s errand to try and match the perfect wine for your holiday feasts, but you can aim for a decent all-arounder that should work with most items being served. With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of celebration-worthy wines all available now, for whatever you are serving. 

Lamb

Whether you’re going for a slow-roasted leg, or herb-crusted rack, a spicy Syrah will maximize your pairing success. Lamb is earthy, with rustic, gamey flavours and often prepared with spice and incorporating some smoke from the grill. Syrah from the northern Rhône, with its own peppery spice and bacon-smoke notes, echos the flacours of the meat, while the grippy tannin to help with rich, fat of the cut.

Ham

Glazed and spiral hams, with their sweet and salty flavour, are often served with a dollop of mustard, to brighten  the chewy richness of the meat. When I think of mustard and pork, my mind travels to Germany or France's Alsace region, both which feast on these flavours on the regular. Riesling, hopefully with a touch of sweetness, is the natural – and delicious – choice here.

Turkey

First of all, no one likes turkey. Turkey is only used as a vehicle for the sauces and gravies. Using that as my guide, I’m pairing a wine to either mimic the flavour and feel of cranberry sauce – bright, tart, and juicy, or I’m thinking about the rich and weighty gravy. Pinot Noir sticks out as the former, Chardonnay as the latter. Perhaps serve both and may the best wine match win.

Fish

Here I’m thinking rich fish like baked or grilled salmon, trout, or even sardines and anchovies. These fish are laced with fat, which is why they’re often served with palate-cleansing lemon slices. In honour of spring, pair with a rosé like a medium weight Tavel, typically a some kind of blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mouvedre. These pink wines are fleshier than their Provençal counterparts, but still have that bright, palate cleansing acidity which works well with oily fish.