The Easter long weekend and the days of spring dinner parties are upon us. The RSVPs have been sent, the menu is decided – all that’s left is to select the wine. But what to choose to wow your fellow feasters? Don’t sweat it: Vintages has got you covered. We’ve assembled a spectacular selection of wines to suit a range of traditional dishes, with European classics alongside New World favourites so there’s something for practically everyone.
The key to pairing wine with appetizers is versatility. These wines complement a wide range of nibbles and make an impression without stealing the show.
European Classics: Italian sparkling Prosecco is immensely popular for a reason: it’s elegant, effervescent, and a great meet-and-greet wine for making the rounds at a gathering. It’s also extraordinarily versatile with foods, and the bubbles and zippy acidity make it a handy palate-refresher between bites. Another Italian standby, Pinot Grigio is just as versatile as Prosecco but without the bubbles. Bright acidity, light body and subtle flavours make it the perfect wine to pair with a bit of everything.
New World Wonders: Europe isn’t the only place that makes great sparkling wine. Cap Classique fizz is made in the traditional method of Champagne and has the versatility, zip and palate-cleansing bubbles of Prosecco but with a touch more weight and mouthfeel, and often, a lovely brioche note from bottle fermentation. Pinot Gris is another name for Pinot Grigio and when made in a cool climate such as New Zealand, the wine features similar bright acidity and food-pairing versatility albeit with fruitier aromas and flavours.
Beautifully marbled with fat, these roasts are rich, juicy and tender. The best wine pairings are reds with ample tannin to cut through the fat.
European Classics: Red Bordeaux is the epitome of French wines. Built around one or more of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, these are wines known for their complexity, sophistication and structure. The relatively high tannins of the Cabernets slice right through the fat of the roast while the wine’s characteristic herbal accents act as seasoning. Red Vacqueyras, like its neighbour Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is typically a blend built around Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Here, the big roast-taming tannins are coming from Syrah and Mourvèdre, while Grenache (like Merlot) smooths out the edges.
New World Wonders: Cabernet Sauvignon grown at higher altitudes, such as the Andean foothills in Argentina, is primed for prime rib or lamb breast. High-altitude vineyards create wines with substantial, structured tannins, which is precisely what’s needed to slash through the fatty meat. Australian Shiraz (another name for Syrah), meanwhile, bolsters its fat-foiling tannins with sheer weight and body, acting like a nice au jus while the grape variety’s signature black-peppery notes provide seasoning.
This traditional favourite is full of complex flavours, from savoury stuffing to earthy root veggies to the turkey itself. An elegant red or white to match this complexity without overpowering is in order.
European Classics: Red Burgundy, made from Pinot Noir, is famously elegant, complex and expressive. The woodsy flavours and bright, tangy acidity pair beautifully with the flavours of traditional turkey dinner, essentially fulfilling the role of seasoning herbs and cranberry sauce all wrapped in one. White Burgundy, made from Chardonnay, is equally elegant and bright, but instead of tangy red fruit it adds citrus and stone fruit notes that subtly enhance the flavours of the meal.
New World Wonders: Pinot Noir grown in cool-climate New World sites, such as the Casablanca Valley along Chile’s mountainous Pacific coast, can pack a poise and precision reminiscent of red Burgundy. The floral and fruity flavours tend to be more overt, while the all-important bright acidity is retained. Similarly, New World Chardonnay, when grown in a cool climate and treated with an eye for elegance in the vineyard and winery, can be just as brilliant and elegant as its Burgundian counterpart.
Salty, succulent and slightly gamey, this dish can pair with red or white wines. Either way, a wine that works with the inherent saltiness is best.
European Classics: Valpolicella is an Italian wine built around the Corvina grape, which gives low tannins, high acidity, tangy red fruit and spice notes. The “Superiore” designation means the wine has a bit more oomph, which helps it stack up to the heft of the ham. The crisp acidity cleanses the palate between bites, and Corvina’s inherent spice notes mean you can skip the cloves. Alsatian Pinot Gris also has crisp acidity, and typically more robustness than its Italian alter ego, so it won’t get overpowered while its peachy notes complement the ham beautifully.
New World Wonders: Riesling from a cool climate such as Niagara features soaring acidity as well as peach, apple and pear notes, all of which goes wonderfully with the dish. The touch of sweetness in off-dry Riesling means it pairs equally well with glazed or unglazed ham while the wine’s piercing acidity refreshes the palate. In contrast to Valpolicella, Petite Sirah has tons of body and tannin along with moderate acidity. Warmer climates such as Lodi in California create soft, velvety tannins that suit the dish while the wine’s rich, ripe robustness make it a good red wine for glazed ham.
Variously briny, meaty or oily depending on the type, fish can be tricky to pair. Thankfully, a common denominator is that fish loves wines high in acidity and low in tannins.
European Classics: Touraine, in its white-wine iteration, is made from Sauvignon Blanc grown along the twists and turns of the Loire River in France. Brilliant, crisp acidity cleanses the palate and make it a versatile fish-friendly wine, as do the grape variety’s inherent aromas and flavours of citrus, gooseberry and fresh green herbs. These wines are known for expressing a subtle river-stone mineral quality, which also goes nicely with fish.
New World Wonders: Sauvignon Blanc achieves impressive results in cool climates all over the New World, but none are more celebrated than Marlborough on New Zealand’s South Island. Packed with brilliant fish-friendly acidity, these wines showcase the grape variety’s classic aromas and flavours along with tropical notes of passion fruit and guava, which are particularly good with meatier fish dishes.
Mushroom dishes, like mushrooms themselves, come in all shapes and sizes, but the through-line is their earthy, woodsy flavours. These dishes call for wines with similar earthy charm.
European Classics: Chianti is made from the Sangiovese grape, whose inherent aromas and flavours include red fruit, tomato, leather, dried flowers and herbs. Given that the wine evokes a walk in the woods, it’s no wonder that it suits mushroom dishes so well. Chianti is also outstanding with eggplant dishes and, famously, pasta.
New World Wonders: Although its ancestral home is western France, Malbec finds its most globally renowned expressions in the wines of Argentina. These wines showcase brambly berries, coffee, leather and tobacco notes, all of which mingle delightfully with mushrooms dishes. They’re similarly spectacular with stuffed peppers as well as toasted polenta or corn bread.
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