For the wine-obsessed, choosing a bottle for the Easter dinner can be simple or tricky. Much depends on which of the two meats associated with the holiday feast, ham or lamb, has been chosen as the centerpiece.
Lamb should be easy to address, especially if the preparation is a roasted leg anointed with nothing more than garlic and an herb or two. Centuries ago, the shepherds and winemakers of France’s Bordeaux region began an unofficial collaboration that continues to this day. No less an authority than the Larousse Gastronomique pronounces the young lamb of Pauillac the “best” in France. Well, Pauillac also is home to Chateaux Latour, Lafite-Rothschild and Mouton-Rothschild, all among the country’s top-ranked and costliest red wines. For example, the ’96 Lafite is on sale at Sam’s: $204 a bottle. (Unless otherwise indicated, prices quoted are producer’s or distributor’s suggested retail.)
Take heart. From the same commune, and from the same exceptional vintage, Chateau Duhart-Milon-Rothschild is a mere $25, and Chateau Lynch Moussas is $26.
Other wines in Bordeaux are equally suitable partners for lamb, of course. From Sam’s list, I pluck the Chateau La Lagune ($27) and Marquis de Terme ($26).
These and other Bordeaux wines should be available in earlier vintages, though quality was decidedly spotty in 1991-93.
The cabernet sauvignon-based wines of Bordeaux are such a good match for lamb because their fruit is tempered by tannin; they aren’t as rich and lush as the full-bodied cabernets of California. Their relative austerity allows the meat’s herbal sweetness to come forward while cutting through the unctuous taste of fat.
Other wines made elsewhere wave for attention. From Spain, where roast lamb often is sublime, come some lovely Rioja reds. A youthful crianza (oak-aged) or more mature reserva have a floral bouquet and concentrated fruit flavors that combine beautifully with rare or medium-rare lamb. Three producers to consider are Martinez Bujanda, La Rioja Alta and Marques de Caceres. Look for the 1995 Caceres at $10.
Farther away from the mainstream, for those who want to produce the unexpected, consider pouring a malbec wine from Argentina. Hugh Johnson describes Argentine malbecs as “juicy-textured wines.” Norton would be my choice (the 1996 is $6.79 at Sam’s) or the 1997 from Balbi Vineyard (about $13).
Some of those who love white wine also contend it makes an adoring companion to rare lamb. What’s wanted is a full-bodied, round and lush chardonnay with the buttery quality that comes from full malolactic fermentation. Look to California and pick the 1997 Olivet Lane Estate Chardonnay (about $15) or another chardonnay from the Russian River Valley.
What about the ham?
Lamb was the easy part. With ham, the path to a blissful pairing is much more tortuous. Beware of salt in the ham! Beware of sugar in the sauce! Beware of excess acidity and tartness in the wine! Beware of guests who request “dry” wine but don’t mean it really!
For a family gathering, with some of those present only occasional imbibers, think white before red. (If you wish, think rose. Good Eating will examine roses for summer drinking in June.)
That decided, where to begin? With the ham. After all, it’s the featured attraction and probably does not appear on the dinner table all that often.
The Easter ham is unlikely to be an air-cured prosciutto-style product or a salt-cured Smithfield. These are best served in small portions as appetizers. But even the all-purpose pre-cooked ham sold in supermarkets is salty.
Served as is, without glaze or sauce, this pink, dense, briny meat offers corn sweetness along with the salt.
A first instinct is to reach for a chilled wine with enough sweetness to provide a counterpoint to the salt. It could be a riesling from Germany’s Mittelrhein region, for example the 1997 Bacharacher Hahn Kabinett, Weingut Toni Jost ($14.99). It’s an apple-scented gem with the firm acidity to stand up to meat. Or it could be an American riesling (see our wine of the week).
Another white grape variety that comes to mind when searching for wines that are gracefully sweet is chenin blanc. This grape produces the lovely French wines of Vouvray (charming but under-appreciated in an era of “big bang” flavors). Either still Vouvray or sparkling Vouvray would be appropriate. Among still wines, consider the 1995 Chateau Moncontour ($8.49 at Sam’s). And not only is a sparkling Vouvray such as Foreau Brut non-vintage ($12.99) less expensive than Champagne, its gentle sweetness plays off the ham much better than a tart bubbly.
American chenin blancs have more pronounced tropical fruit accents and therefore are a good choice if the ham has been “honey-baked,” has a fruit glaze or is served with a fruit sauce. Consider the youthful 1998 Callaway Chenin Blanc ($7.50) or the 1997 Chappellet ($10.79).
If the ham has been smoked, or is assertively spiced, the pairing should be a sparkling wine or a gewurztraminer. A value-for-money favorite in this classification is 1997 Gustave Lorentz from Alsace ($12.49).
Another wine with a perfumed bouquet and exotic flavor is viognier. Georges Duboeuf’s 1997 viognier from France is $7.99, while California’s 1997 Alban Vineyards Central Coast costs $20.99.
