The traditional dinners that many people prepare for their Easter holiday meal consist of either roasted lamb or baked ham. The tradition of roast lamb actually dates back to biblical times, to a meal that was commonly referred to as the “sacrificial lamb,” while the baked ham is an American tradition that began more out of necessity than for any other reason.
Prior to refrigeration, hogs were slaughtered in the fall and what wasn’t eaten immediately was cured and smoked to last through the springtime. These two main courses are on the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to pairing wines.
The perfect pairing for a baked Southern-style ham is a German Riesling, mainly due to the saltiness of the pork. The 2008 S.A. Prum Essence Riesling is somewhat dry with flavors of apple and pear, and hints of orange, which pair nicely with the ham. This wine retails in the $12 price range.
Loosen Brothers also produces a nice Riesling from Germany’s Mosel Valley that will pair nicely with an Easter ham. The 2008 Dr. L Riesling starts slightly tangy, contains citrus flavors and ends with a hint of spice. The winery produces 75,000 cases and it also retails for $12.
If you desire a red wine to accompany the ham, try the 2008 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley in California. This Pinot offers bright flavors of red cherry with a nice level of tannin, making it quite pleasant to drink. It retails for $19 a bottle and should be easy to find.
Roasted lamb offers a much wider variety of wine from which one can choose, including Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Barolo, to name a few. The earthiness of a Malbec makes it a favorite choice of mine.
The 2007 Trapiche Malbec Broquel from Mendoza, Argentina, complements the lamb quite well at $15 a bottle. Trapiche produced 120,000 cases of this Malbec that starts with a vanilla aroma, leading into flavors of ripe raspberry and ending with a bit of a mineral taste.
Bogle Vineyards’ 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from California’s Central Coast region is a good example of a value-priced wine that packs in a decent amount of flavor.
This Cabernet retails in the $9 to $10 range and contains a fair amount of tannins for a wine at this price point. The wine begins with a peppery aroma and has flavors of black currants and dark berries.
The 2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Merlot from the Columbia Valley in Washington is nice for a few dollars more. I found this Merlot to be quite smooth, with an aroma of berry, followed by flavors of black currant and hints of mocha.
Speaking of mocha, don’t forget to have a bottle of Port on hand to help wash down all that Easter chocolate. The bitterness of the chocolate complements the sweetness of Port wines, making them a perfect partner to end a meal.
Jim Rawe, a family attorney in Bradenton, is an avid collector of fine wines.
His column appears weekly. He can be reached at jimrawe@gmail.com.
