Easter- What to Drink With Dinner
Those of you that know me are aware I've been professionally involved in the wine and spirits industry for quite some time now. I often get personal emails asking me for a good recommendation for a wine for this or that occasion. My husband came home from work last night and said three people asked him to ask me what wines to choose for their Easter meals. I thought- what an awesome addition to the blog! So here we go! The first installment of an ongoing wine discussion! And what a great topic to begin with, a beautiful Spring holiday meal. Traditionally, Easter dinner is either Lamb or ham. I've noticed more and more people getting away from the traditional in recent years. Be it because of dietary needs, or the choice to go vegetarian or vegan, this blog says to hell with tradition, start your own. MommyGyver is about being great with what you've got- so we're going to cover several varietals at various price points that could be enjoyed at a casual jeans and a t-shirt gathering, or suit and tie, mom's got Muffy, her bestie from the country club coming over... and you know how SHE is about wine... Wine should be enjoyed by all. This stigma that wine is anything exceptionally exclusive is pish posh. True, there are very hoity-toity wines that command hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a bottle. Some are meant to be enjoyed, others are meant to be collected. But wine, by design, was to be enjoyed with a meal- every meal. Designed to be drank with friends, family. Wine is the water of Europe. The pomp and fluff that comes along with it is not always necessary. You do not need to be a sommelier to know a decent bottle of wine, and you don't need to spend a mint to get one either. I want anyone who comes to this blog for a little beverage help to never be intimidated by the subject matter. I'm a firm believer that wine should be approachable to all- and with a little practice and a bit of help anyone can select a great bottle for any occasion! For the sake of simplicity, I'll outline a few varietals and provide some examples. I will also include what to pair with it. Rose: Don't call it a comeback! Rose might look like White Zinfandel, but it's not! White Zinfandel was super popular in the 90's as the lady who isn't a wine drinker's wine. In my opinion, Rose took its place. (And thank goodness! MommyGyver is a lover of Rose, but not so much the sweeter White Zinfandel) A good, dry Rose is actually very versatile. It works best with flavorful or salty dishes. It also is incredible on its own. Make sure you chill it well! Some examples of food pairings: Appetizer or hors d'oeuvres: -salty, stinky cheeses... bleu, goat, etc. -salted meats like salami, prosciutto, pancetta -grilled or cold vegetables -salads Meals: -Grilled, herbed chicken -Veal chops -Curries -Seafood A good hint to pairing rose with a meal: If it's spicy and/ or salty, a rose can be a good choice. I also like to offer rose at spring events because it's pink! it screams springtime, fresh, innocence, and femininity. A couple choices would be: -Decoy Rose (under $20, pretty common brand) Rated 91 points by wine.com -Aimé Roquesante Rosé (under $15, less common) I particularly love this Cotes du Rhone French Rose and it's fantastic for the price! Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvs can be trickier depending on where they are from. There are some that are very crisp with hints of green apple and melon, to some that just reek of grapefruit. Without getting into the reasons for this (that's a whole explanation in climate, terroir, etc), I can provide some examples with different flavor profiles. Please don't confuse Sauvignon Blanc for Cabernet Sauvignon. Sauv Blanc is a white wine, and Cabernet is red! Sauvs tend to be an exceptional choice for casual drinking. Serve it chilled! They also pair exquisitely with cheese and fruit trays. (be mindful of the kind of cheeses though! It goes well with Feta and sharp cheddar- but not creamy cheese like goat!) Sauv does not pair well with creamy or buttery dishes, but rather white meats and seafood. Clams, muscles, and oysters are awesome to enjoy with this crisp greenish to pale yellow gem. Main course selections of white meats that have greener notes in the seasoning such as cilantro, parsley, and bell peppers pair really nicely with Sauvignon Blanc. Where the Sauv originates from has a lot to do with flavor as well. I've noticed that Sauvs from coastal areas, such as Chile do very well with seafood, and I don't enjoy them as much on their own. (Wines from Chile have a more mineral quality to them, and a little bit of briney taste) Where a California Sauv may be extremely fruit forward, more fuller bodied, and exceptional to drink all by itself! Some examples would be: Rutherford Ranch Sauvignon Blanc (Very grapefruity!$15-$20 range California) Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand $15 range, citrus notes) Sea Glass Sauvignon Blanc (California, Under $10 green notes of grass and citrus) Chardonnay: There are 2 types of Chardonnay- Oaked and unoaked. Oaked Chardonnay uses oak in the barrels to make that creaminess that Chards are known for. Unoaked Chard is a Chardonnay that has not been put into wood barrels for any amount of time and have a more crisp taste to them. It gets a little more complicated after this, because the type of oak plays a huge role in the finished product. American Oak lends that thick popcorn butter flavor that California Chards are known for, while French Oak tends to provide a more subtle profile. Then of course, to complicate things further, some winemakers blend the two woods together! Thankfully there are a lot of wineries that figured out they were making life difficult and they clearly label the wine "Unoaked Chardonnay" if it hasn't seen any kind of oak barrelling. The kind of Chard is important when pairing with a meal. Unoaked Chards tend to mimic Sauvignon Blanc in crispness, and the pairing choices would be quite similar. Oaked Chards go well with Chicken Breast, Turkey Breast, Pork Loin, various white fishes, Atlantic Salmon, Lobster, Crab, Scallops, Shrimp and clams. It goes well with creamier cheeses. Ie: Goat and cow's milk (Oaked chardonnay is really quite exquisite with a nice goat cheese! My favorite!) Unoaked Selections: LaPlaya Unoaked Chard (Under $10) Donati Sisters Forever Unoaked (Under $15)
Oaked Selections: Hob Nob is quite popular. ($10 range) La Crema Russian River ($30 range) 92 points Wine Spectator Cabernet Sauvignon: I tend to love a big, bold cab. One of the first experiences I had with wine was a cabernet that I said (at my ripe old age of 19) "Tastes like church" What I was trying to say was I picked up on a smoky, woody, almost frankincense-type aroma in it. It was bold and tannic, and delicious! I find cabs to be extremely interesting and complex and I could go on and on about them for days. But I'll spare you the wine-geek self pleasure and just get to the nuts and bolts. This is the guy that you drink with meat. Mushrooms. Red sauces. Gravy. That amazing New York strip steak you've just salt crusted, and are about to serve with grilled mushrooms and onions? Cabernet is its best friend. Cabs are tannic, dry. They do really well with savory foods like red meat. So if you're the family that is making a crown roast, or roasted lamb this is your jam. There are so many amazing cabs in all price ranges. A couple I like are: Sterling Vintner's Edition (Under $20) The Prisoner (Under $50) Pinot Noir: Pinot Noir is probably one of the most versatile reds there is. Typical Pinots have very intense fruit forward nose and flavors. Blackberries, plums, strawberries, and other dark fruits are typical flavors found in Pinot Noirs. People often confuse fruit flavor with sweet wine, and that's not the case. Pinots are generally dry and not sweet at all. Pinot is a great option for your ham dinner. It also goes nicely with turkey or chicken. If you're having duck, this is also a fantastic choice. My personal favorites come from California, Oregon, and Washington. Wonderful examples are: Meiomi Pinot Noir ($20 range) Failla Pinot Noir ($30 range) This is just a touch of the many easily accessible wine varieties that are out there, and a quick guide to how they pair. For those that wish to delve deeper into wine and try new things, substitute a Verdejo for the Sauvignon Blanc, a Rioja for the Pinot Noir, or maybe a nice Granache Gris while you chat?