Wines for Easter

With Easter, we hope, come a few rays of sunshine, a hint of warmth and a dollop of hope for a fun summer ahead.  It’s a time for family gatherings and feasting and of course, for a glass or two of delicious wine. Luckily, our supermarkets are ‘on this’ and have a vast range of fabulous wines to choose from this Easter so here’s a few that might make the celebrations go with a swing ….

Easter Lunch

For a classic Easter pairing with lamb, you can’t go wrong with a Bordeaux. Waitrose Blueprint Bordeaux 2018 is an excellent option at a very reasonable price – full-bodied with gorgeous blackberry notes.  As a good Bordeaux should be, it’s smooth on the finish and pairs well with a roast.  If you want to take it up a gear and really treat yourself then head for the excellent Chateau Fonréaud 2016 from the Medoc which is the sort of Bordeaux the region has made it’s name on.  Full of complex black and red fruits, classic in structure, savoury and elegant.

You might want something lighter and you can’t really go wrong with a well made Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.  It’s a real crowd pleaser. Tesco Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 is a cracker – refreshing with bright, citrus notes and a crisp finish. It goes well with fish or salads and is a great option if you want something to sip on while enjoying the spring sunshine.  …. and if you wanted to take this up a gear head for Villa Maria’s Organic Earth Sauvignon which has to be one of the best quality, best value wines made in this region.  At £11.50 a bottle it’s delivering a bombshell of vibrant, exotic guava, passionfruit, mango and greengage fruit – completely delicious.

Champagne at Easter

For a celebratory drink it’s got to be Champagne at Easter and the shining light has to be Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs NV Brut.  It’s made by one of the oldest, most established Champagne houses and is fantastic value with it’s notes of citrus and brioche.  It’s difficult to take this up a gear but Sainsbury’s have got a great deal on a few classic labels too including the deliciousChampagne Pommery at £34 a bottle.

Rosé at Easter

It’s also tempting to head for the rosé at Easter too – it’s celebratory just by it’s pretty colour, fresh, fruity and fun so have a look at the Co-ops Irresistible Fairtrade Rosé 2020 for a fruity and refreshing wine that pairs well with spicy dishes, cheeses and charcuterie. If you want to supersize that then head for their Chateau Barthès Bandol Rosé from Provence at £13.95 a bottle.  This is benchmark Provence Rosé from perhaps the best growing area and a Chateau that performs year after year – bright pink in colour, delicate and persistent it’s a perfect wine for the spring season, and sure to impress your guests.

Different regions and grape varieties

Finally, if you want to explore different regions and grape varieties, try Morrisons ‘The Best’ range.  They have a great selection of wines from around the world and give a pretty good example of every flavour and region that they put their ‘Best’ label to, ranging from rich and complex reds to crisp and refreshing whites, they seem to have everything.

Our supermarkets really do a great job with wine and they’re all packed with a wide variety of wines to enjoy this Easter break and, despite the cost of wine seemingly going up every time we shop for it, they battle hard to keep prices down.  What’s more, they’re all pretty reliable so you can be fairly sure that you’ll get what you pay for …. So, have some fun this Easter; grab a bottle or two of wines that you might not usually try or buy and I’ll be you’ll be pleasantly surprised.