You might not have the whole family around the table this year, nonetheless Easter remains a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a variety of treats and tipples. With seasonal favourites such as oven-baked salmon, roast lamb and, of course, chocolate eggs gracing tables and homes, why not experiment with your food and wine pairings and try a wine you might not have sampled before? 

Oven baked salmon 

Start your bank holiday celebrations with a whole oven baked salmon on Good Friday. This showstopper provides the perfect balance of maximum impact with minimal effort. The flavours of the salmon when cooked slowly in the oven will intensify and sweeten, making this an ideal partner for a fine white wine.

A top-end Sancerre or Alsatian Riesling are two classic options here. It is also the perfect excuse to grab that bottle of premium Chardonnay you’ve been saving for a special occasion. The generosity and indulgence of well-oaked wines paired with salmon is simply a treat. 

Roasted cauliflower steak 

You can’t go wrong with a roasted cauliflower steak. Wine will, to some extent, be dictated by how you choose to flavour it but a fuller style of rosé, such as those from Argentina or from the Southern Rhône Valley, will combine well with the bitterness and sweetness of a spiced roasted cauliflower. 

If you think it’s too early in the season to drink rosé, pick a fruity and crisp white wine. With their combination of weight and minerality, high quality examples of Fiano from Campania and the rest of Southern Italy pairs to perfection. 

Roast lamb 

Often a favourite at this time of year, roast lamb is regarded as the traditional meat of Easter Sunday. Best served pink, spring lamb is celebrated for its tenderness and delicacy.

It pairs particularly well with Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, a fantastically long-lived and underappreciated fine wine. A Pinot Noir with ripe fruits and a fuller body would also flatter this dish. 

Milk and dark chocolate Easter eggs

Would it really be Easter without a chocolate egg to mark the occasion?

Dark chocolate calls for a smooth style of red wine with ripe fruit flavours and silky tannins, such as a Malbec from Argentina. 

Because milk chocolate is sweeter, you will need an equally sweet pairing to ensure the wine does not taste bitter. The caramel and dried fruit flavours of a Tawny Port makes for a mouth-watering pairing. 

Hot Cross Buns

With their origins dating back to the 12th Century, the story says an Anglican monk baked buns and marked them with a cross in honour of Good Friday. Today, these lightly spiced and sweet buns have become a household favourite across the Easter holidays.

The dried fruits and spices of these baked delights need a wine produced from grapes that have undergone the same treatment for flavour-matching. The fortified wines grown on the volcanic island of Madeira have a freshness that isn’t found elsewhere and prevents cakes and pastries from feeling too sweet.

A sweet Muscat also drinks fantastic with hot cross buns. 

Get ready for Easter

If you are improvising this Easter with what’s in your freezer and need help with the pairings, leave us a comment below. Wine racks almost empty? Stock up today to get your wines delivered on time for Easter.