Easter Wine Pairings: The Best Wines for Your Spring Feast

Easter Sunday falls on 5 April this year, and with it comes one of the most rewarding food-and-wine tables of the calendar. The spread is rich and varied, from slow-roasted lamb to glazed ham, tender spring vegetables, fresh seafood, and sweet treats like hot cross buns. Each dish deserves a thoughtful pairing. Here is how to match wines to every course of your Easter feast.

Roast Lamb

Lamb is the centrepiece of many Easter tables, and it is a gift to red wine lovers. The meat’s savoury, slightly gamy character works beautifully with medium- to full-bodied reds that carry good structure and earthy depth.

• Pinot Noir is a natural partner, particularly wines from Burgundy or Central Otago. Their bright acidity and red-fruit elegance complement lamb without overpowering it.
• Syrah/Shiraz from the Northern Rhone Valley brings dark fruit, pepper, and a touch of smoke that mirrors rosemary-crusted or herb-rubbed preparations.
• Rioja Reserva offers vanilla, leather, and gentle tannins that pair superbly with slow-roasted leg of lamb and garlic.

If you are serving lamb with a mint sauce or redcurrant jelly, lean towards the fruitier end of these recommendations to echo the condiment’s sweetness.

Glazed Ham

A honey or marmalade-glazed ham brings sweetness, salt, and spice to the table. You need a wine with enough fruit and freshness to balance the glaze without clashing.

• Off-dry Riesling is a classic. A Kabinett or Spatlese from Mosel matches the ham’s sweetness while slicing through its richness with laser-sharp acidity.
• Grenache-based roses from Provence or the southern Rhone offer red-berry fruit and herbal notes that complement the savoury-sweet balance of the glaze.
• Pinot Gris from Alsace delivers stone-fruit weight and a lightly honeyed texture that pairs well with the caramelised edges of the ham.

Spring Vegetables

Easter arrives just as asparagus, peas, broad beans, and new-season greens hit their stride. These lighter dishes call for wines with freshness and lift.

Asparagus

Asparagus is notoriously tricky with wine. Its vegetal character can make tannic reds taste metallic.

• Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley (Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume) is the textbook pairing. The wine’s grassy, herbaceous notes echo the asparagus rather than fighting it.
• Gruner Veltliner from Austria, with its white-pepper snap and green-herb character, is another outstanding match.

Peas and Broad Beans

These sweeter spring vegetables pair well with lighter whites.

• Vermentino brings citrus and almond notes that complement pea risotto or broad bean salads.
• Unoaked Chardonnay from Chablis provides minerality and clean acidity that lets the vegetables shine.

Seafood Options

If your Easter table leans towards fish, whether a whole baked salmon, grilled prawns, or a seafood platter, you have plenty of excellent options.

• Albarino from Rias Baixas in north-west Spain brings peach, apricot, and saline notes that feel made for shellfish and lighter fish.
• Champagne or quality English sparkling wine adds a festive lift to the occasion while pairing brilliantly with smoked salmon, oysters, and prawn cocktails.
• Verdicchio from Le Marche in Italy is an underrated choice for baked white fish, offering citrus, almond, and a gentle bitterness on the finish.

Dessert Wines for Sweet Treats

Easter’s sweet course is distinctive. Hot cross buns, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and dried fruit, and simnel cake, rich with marzipan and candied peel, need wines that can match their aromatic intensity.

• Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise is a brilliant partner for hot cross buns. Its orange-blossom and dried-apricot sweetness mirrors the spiced fruit of the buns perfectly.
• Late-harvest Gewurztraminer from Alsace delivers lychee, rose petal, and warm spice that complement simnel cake’s marzipan richness.
• Tawny Port (10 or 20 year) brings caramel, walnut, and dried-fruit complexity that works with both hot cross buns and simnel cake, making it a versatile choice for the Easter cheese board too.
• Pedro Ximenez Sherry is the indulgent option. Its raisin, fig, and treacle sweetness poured over vanilla ice cream alongside a slice of simnel cake is a memorable way to end the meal.

Planning Your Easter Wine Table

A practical approach is to choose three or four bottles that cover the range. A crisp white for vegetables and seafood starters, a versatile red for lamb or ham, a rose that bridges both courses, and a dessert wine to finish. Do not forget that slightly chilling your lighter reds (15 minutes in the fridge) brings out their freshness, ideal for a spring lunch.

Not sure what to pick at the shop? Scan any wine label with Sommo to instantly learn whether it suits your Easter menu, and use the tasting notes feature to record your favourites for next year.

Happy Easter, and cheers to a beautifully paired spring table.

Photo by Piermario Eva on Unsplash