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Easter is almost here and families everywhere
will be gathering around the dinner table to feast with friends and loved ones.
This may not sound like the best time to think about serious food and wine
pairings, but if your family is anything like mine the end of Lent is one of
the happiest of days. Chocolate, red meat, coffee or even (gasp!) wine,
whatever you may have given up for the last 40 days, it’s time to reintroduce
yourself. The Easter meal should be a happy occasion, and what better way to
enjoy good company than with a little vino at the table? If your family celebrates Passover, wow the crowd with a tasty kosher
wine.
The Easter
Ham
Ham is often prepared with glazes or toppings
that are sweet and can balance the inherent saltiness of the actual meat.
Well-paired wines can accomplish the same objective. If I had
to choose but one wine to accompany an Easter ham, I know what I’d choose in a
heartbeat. Unfussy rosés are bursting with red fruit flavors and pair with a variety
of holiday foods especially Easter ham. Rosé’s
flavor profile has enough sweet fruit to balance the salt in the ham and enough
acidity to support the combination without compromising the flavor in either
the ham or the wine.
Rosé 101
Rosé wines are made from red
wine grapes fermented just a short time with their skins. Colors range from
light salmon to bright pink to medium-deep rose. The length of time the juice
is in contact with the crushed skins determines not only the final color of the
wine, but to a certain extent the amount of tannin extracted from the skins and
seeds as well.
A Rosé By
Any Other Name
Rosé spans the style spectrum. Because rosé refers to the
color of the wine, as opposed to a specific grape variety, the wine can be made
from a variety of red grapes and their blends, including Mourvédre, Sangiovese,
Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. With the
variety of grapes used to make rosé, the character of the wine ranges from
light and fruity to medium bodied with hints of tannin. Try rosé wines from
California or Italy, but especially from Spain or from Provence, France.
I’m happy to bring in spring with a glass of rosé, and as rosé becoming more popular
people will discover the joys of drinking pink.
