What To Serve When the Easter Beagle Comes A Callin'

It’s Easter time. Spring is in the air – at least in Florida it is and it’s time for another holiday family gathering. Of course food is at the core of the get-together and if you are looking for a wine to make the affair memorable consider one of the following.

If you are serving an Easter brunch, a Rosé is the perfect pairing. Go for a dry yet fruity Rosé that will have enough acidity to stand up to the variety of foods that make up the brunch buffet but also enough fruit flavor to be enjoyed as a sipping wine. The Castillo Perelada Cresta Rosa Vino de Aguja (11.99) is just the wine. Made from 100% Grenache, the wine is made in the semi-sparkling petillant style – it pours with a bit of fizz then stills out. This style of wine is bursting with fruit flavors yet is dry to the finish. The Cresta Rosa is refreshing, fruity and beautiful to behold in the glass.

Thinking about having an early dinner? Ham, hot-crossed buns and all the fixings that make the Easter table fun call for the Prosper Maufoux Morgon Cote de Py Cru Beaujolais (15.99). Made from 100% Gamay, this wine is rich and powerful with a ruby red color and ripe fruit aromas of cherries and plums. Morgon is the second-largest cru in the Beaujolais region of Burgundy and is well-known for its powerful wines. The Cote de Py slope has a base of slate and produces concentrated, structured wines that often resemble the Cote d’Or Pinot Noirs. The Cote de Py is said to be a dormant volcano rich with nutrients that gives wines from this part of the Morgon appellation an upper-hand compared to those from the lower land.

If you are planning a more elaborate gathering with lamb and maybe some asparagus or broccilini and salad with field greens, then the Chateau d’Excindre “Magdalia” (15.50) is for you. Made from 50-year old Carignane (60%), Syrah (30%) and Grenache (10%), this wine is very well balanced with red berries and ripe fruits surrounded by sweet tannins. The Magdalia comes from the Coteaux du Languedoc from hilly south facing vineyards giving the grapes warmth for juicy ripeness that comes through in the wine. Your guests will ooh and aah over this pairing for years to come.