Wines for Easter: three recommendations

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• WINE CELLAR

  Peter Keller

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Easter and wine are linked by a long tradition. The noble grape juice received its sacred meaning when Jesus declared wine to be his own blood at the Last Supper. The drink, along with bread, is the symbol and promise of resurrection in Christian culture to this day. Traditionally, wine is toasted on Easter Sunday.

That should also be the case this year. But with which one? The choice depends, of course, first and foremost on the dishes served. There are dishes or foods that are associated with this festival – for example the Easter lamb or the Gitzi. For me, a medium-heavy red wine from the noble Syrah variety goes best with this.

Crozes-Hermitage 2018, Domaine Combier

You will find it in the French Rhône Valley. The Crozes-Hermitage appellation may not exude the same grandeur as the prestigious Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, but it does deliver wonderful, inexpensive enjoyment, for example from the reliable and organic Domaine Combier. The Crozes-Hermitage 2018 is a medium-heavy, elegant wine with a scent of black berries and pepper and a beautiful structure and length. The French is aged in steel tanks and in used barriques. Those who are patriotic will find excellent Syrah wines in Valais.

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St. Aubin Village Le Banc 2018, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey

Easter Sunday is meat day. Fish is traditionally served on Good Friday. In this case, white drops are possible, ideally from the top variety Chardonnay. The choice and style are infinitely large here. On my last ski vacation, I came across the Burgundian winemaker Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey on the wine list of the hotel where I stayed.

It means: strike. His wines are always characterized by finesse and elegance, such as the St. Aubin Village Le Banc 2018. Slightly less well-known appellations have the advantage that the prices are more moderate. But here, too, the demand is great. Alternatively, of course, a Riesling from Germany or Austria also fits.

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Otima 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Warre’s

Easter doesn’t work without chocolate as a sweet ending. Instead of the rabbit, it can also be a creation made from dark chocolate. The most perfect wine to go with it is a port. The sweet, fortified specialty from the Portuguese Douro Valley is produced in different styles.

As an alternative to an expensive vintage port, there is a so-called tawny, which is stored in large wooden barrels for ten, 20 or even more years before it is bottled. The Otima 20 Year Old Tawny Port, which was founded in 1670 and is steeped in tradition, comes from Warre’s, an aromatically complex, delicate and noble wine that supports the chocolate well. If you don’t like sweet, you can opt for a heavy red wine (Amarone, Primitivo).

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