Let WGoS guide your thinking!
Easter is one of those lovely moments in the year when food really takes centre stage. The days are getting a little brighter, families gather around the table, and the kitchen fills with the smell of a roast slowly cooking in the oven. For many people, Easter lunch means roast lamb. Of course, later in the day, there’s usually chocolate involved too, whether it’s a carefully chosen chocolate egg or the leftovers from the children’s hunt in the garden.
So the obvious question is: what wine works best with all of that?
Let’s start with the lamb.
Roast lamb has a wonderful richness to it. It’s savoury, comforting, and often served with herbs like rosemary or thyme. Because of that, you want a red wine with enough flavour to stand up to the dish, but not something so heavy that it overwhelms it.
One of my favourite wines to pair with roast lamb is Pinot Noir. It’s a lighter style of red wine, but it has lovely bright fruit flavours — often reminding people of cherries and raspberries. Its freshness works beautifully with lamb, especially if the dish includes herbs.
Another great option is Syrah (sometimes called Shiraz). This wine tends to have darker fruit flavours like blackberry, along with a hint of pepper or spice. With lamb, especially if it’s roasted with garlic and herbs, Syrah can be absolutely delicious.
Now, once the plates are cleared and the coffee is poured, Easter often moves on to chocolate. Chocolate with wine is one of those pairings people are curious about but sometimes unsure how to approach. The key thing to remember is that the wine should usually be at least as sweet as the chocolate. If the wine is drier than the chocolate, it can taste a little bitter.
With milk chocolate, I often recommend a soft, fruity red like Merlot or even a rich Pinot Noir. The gentle fruit flavours can complement the creamy sweetness of the chocolate surprisingly well. For dark chocolate, something a little deeper works beautifully. A fuller red wine like Syrah can match the intensity of dark chocolate, especially if the chocolate has those slightly bitter cocoa flavours.
Some people also enjoy a glass of Port with dark chocolate, which is a classic combination for a reason; the sweetness and richness fit together perfectly.
But as I often say to people at my tastings, wine and food pairing isn’t about strict rules. It’s really about discovering combinations that you personally enjoy.
Easter is a wonderful opportunity to try that. Open a bottle with lunch, share a glass with friends or family, and see how the flavours work together.
If you ever find yourself wondering which wine to choose for the table, you’re always welcome to ask. Helping people discover wines they’ll love is exactly why I started Wine Guy on Skye.
Until then, enjoy the food, enjoy the wine, and most importantly enjoy the company around the table.
Nick
Wine Guy on Skye