Wines For Easter Sunday

Wine Pairings for Easter Ham and Lamb 

Easter Sunday is the holiest of all Christian holidays that often centers on a feast shared with family and friends.
 While every family has their own dinner traditions, baked ham and roasted lamb are perhaps the two most commonly served meat dishes of this spring holiday. While you and your family figure out who is going where for the holiday, we’ll help you choose the right wines to go with dinner, and of course, some of that Easter Chocolate.

Perfect Pairings

Easter ham can be deliciously salty, so we want to look for wines that help cut through that saltiness and balance the richness. Off-dry German Rieslings and Gewurztraminers are two crowd-pleasing wines that impart great flavor and keep everyone at the table happy. 

If you want to buck the white wine/ham trend, try a Beaujolais or a fruit forward California Pinot Noir.

Roasted Lamb is perhaps the most traditional of Easter dinners, and it is also one of the easiest meats to pair with wine. Here you have plenty of options, including Spanish Riojas, Australian Shiraz, Zinfandel, or perhaps the classic Red Bordeaux/lamb pairing.

Roasted Leg of Lamb With Carrots and Honey-Mint Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon, strips of zest removed with a peeler and juice squeezed
• 6 cloves garlic
• ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 6- to 7-pound, bone-in leg of lamb, at room temperature
• 3 pounds very small carrots, scrubbed; or regular carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks
• 2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons honey

Heat oven to 400° F. In a food processor, pulse the lemon zest, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper until coarsely chopped.   Place the lamb in a large roasting pan and rub with the lemon mixture. In a large bowl, toss the carrots, 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside.  Roast the lamb to the desired doneness, 90 to 105 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature registers 130° F), adding the carrots to the pan after the lamb has cooked for 50 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, in the food processor, puree the parsley, mint, scallions, honey, lemon juice, the remaining ½ cup of oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Serve with the lamb and carrots. 

Chocolate Easter Bunny and Egg

Ready to relax and chew the ears off that chocolate bunny? For milk chocolate, pour yourself a little Sherry, and for dark chocolate, how about a late harvest Zinfandel, Port or Vin Santo?

Founded in 1934, Haskell’s has championed fine wines for over 80 years. We have 13 wine stores in Minnesota, two delis and one restaurant. As one of the top wine shops in North America, Haskell’s is known for legendary service and one of the finest collections of wine, beer and spirits. Led by Chairman and CEO Jack Farrell, and the Farrell family, Haskell’s continues to be at the forefront of the wine scene throughout the world. Haskell’s also can ship wine, beer & spirits all throughout the world, the U.S. and we deliver locally.