Easter Wines - from Philip Bernot

Easter is right around the corner, and the foods served at this meal require us to get out of our comfort zone a little bit. Please, please, please – low acid, overly-oaked Chardonnay is a really poor choice for this holiday. Most Easter meals revolve around a culinary dynamic duo-Ham & Lamb. Great! Love ‘em both! Here are notes on few things I have tasted that are great choices for the Easter meal:

Reds
Chateau de Basty Règniè, France- When I tasted this wine one thought came immediately to mind-Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham! Règniè is “Cru” Beaujolais, and made from the Gamay grape. Cru Beaujolais is from one of the ten designated vineyard sites in the Beaujolais region that have proven over time to be both distinctive and of excellent quality. Règniè is the newest of the Cru’s, being elevated to this status in 1988 after an exhaustive study (the French take their wine very seriously). The wine is medium-bodied, with the classic sweet/tart flavor and chalky, bracing acidity typical of Gamay. It should be served cool to coax out the best flavors. Give it plenty time to breathe; I found the wine to taste very good after being opened two full days! $17.98

Domaine Clavel “Garrigues,” France- I’m crazy about the wines from Domaine Clavel. They are superb values and represent an authentic taste of Southern France. The wine is medium-full, with a complex nose favoring the herbs that run rampant in the Languedoc region. The blend is Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah, and is especially suited to roasted leg of lamb with rosemary. $15.50

Domaine Geoffrenet-Moraval “Extra Version” Chateaumeillant – You seriously need to stop what you are doing, RIGHT NOW, get down here, and buy this wine. A blend of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay from central France, this wine put a smile on my face that is still there three days later! Light-medium body and a superb, balanced palate of fruit and acidity. Tasting this wine reminded of when I first met my Cocker Spaniel when she was a teeny pup- it was love at first site! Don’t even think about getting just one bottle. $21.14

Rosé
Chateau du Roquefort “Corail”, France- I’m a little surprised, but even after the 8 billion or so words written about the joy of rosé wine the last couple of years, many of our customers are still deeply suspicious of rosé. I blame White Zinfandel. Ch. du Roquefort is disarmingly delicious and belongs on your short list of enjoyable rosé. A blend of five grape varieties from a tiny, biodynamic property, this is the ticket for Easter ham. $14.39

White
Dr. Loosen Riesling, Germany – Look up “textbook Riesling” in the dictionary; you will see a picture of this wine. Yes, it is a little sweet, but that is not a crime. Our best selling Riesling-for a very good reason. $11.99

Massarosa Frascati Superiore, Italy- Just because 90% of Frascati isn’t worth the effort it takes to pour it down the drain doesn’t mean the other 10% isn’t worth drinking! This delicious example is one of the most versatile white wines we carry. Grown and produced in Latium, just outside of Rome, this pretty wine has great aromatics and is fresh and lively; a perfect match to fresh herbs. Nobody does Easter like the Italians! $13.91

Other good choices are Grenache-based wines from Spain or Australia, dry rose from France or California, and Pinot Noir from your favorite locale.