Easter Wines

 Christmas is a food-centric holiday in every culture. Perfect food and wine pairings make everything so much more enjoyable! Explore the many options at Andover Classic Wines—for every cuisine. Remember that variety is good not only for pleasing different tastes of those at your table, but for complementing the broad range of savory, salty, and sweet flavors in appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts. 

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 Scroll Down For Ideas On Pairing

Appetizers – Beef – Lamb – Duck/Goose – Pork or Beef Tenderloin – Ham  – Vegetarian  – Desserts

Appetizers

Choose refreshing companions to the first bites on this food-filled festival. Sparkling wines, rosés, crisp whites, and lighter reds all do very well. Appetizers are often compatible with dishes served during the main course, so just add extra bottles if that is the case (pun itended). Most importantly, pick wines that are fun, and maybe just a bit surprising.

Beef

Beef needs big, bold reds. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends that include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot are classic. Other flavorful, tannic reds from the US, Italy, France, and Spain are wonderful as well.

Lamb

Rich, savory lamb need a substantial wine but not an overpowering one. These choices have the right balance of power and finesse to enhance, not mask, the meat's succulence.

Duck or Goose

Rich, dark-meated fowl like duck and goose do best with medium-bodied reds with balanced tannins and red berry, dark berry, or cranberry flavors.

Pork or Beef Tenderloin

These medium-flavored meats can benefit from pairing with balanced wines that do not overpower them. For tenderloin, stick with the red in this group. Pok can span the entire spectrum, so go with your favorite. That said, there is something magic about pork and Reisling so try it if you haven't.

Ham

Mmmmm... savory, sweet, salty ham is always a crowd pleaser. Finding a wine to match is as easy as thinking of places where ham is made and served often, and picking a wine from that region. Alsace in France, Rhineland in Germany, Emiglia-Romanga in Italy, and Pyrenees in Spain all produce spectacular hams and the wines to enjoy with them. Selecting wines of those styles is the way to go!

Vegetarian

Nearly every wine does well with many vegetables, so here you have to think about preparation. Sweet dishes like sweet potatoes or glazed squash do better with fruitier, more robust wines. Light, stachy vegetables go with lighter white, floral wines. Hearty, savory dishes like eggplant go with big red wines. More than ever, organic and vegan options abound.

Desserts

Desserts are wonderful with the right wine, and the right wine can serve as dessert itself. The secret is serving a wine that is sweeter than the dessert. Avoid very dry and tannic wines, especially with chocolate. Italians have a fun tradition of dipping biscotti or cake into sweet wine and you'll understand why when you try it. The very best sweet wines from France and Hungary are considered among the finest wines in the world. The extraordinary experience of taking a sip and having layers of flavors blossom and continue for minutes is unequalled by anything else you can drink.