Eccomi!
I hope you’re enjoying the spring and sun wherever you are. As Easter and other Spring celebrations are upon us, I want to share a perfect wine menu for your Easter table. Still unsure what to drink (or eat for that matter) this Easter holiday? I have curated a nice Italian wine menu of three wines: a sparkling, white, red and a digestivo.
I’ve chosen the wines to go well with Easter foods, however, the wine menu is adaptable for other Spring time dinner parties. In the end I share the shopping list and direct links to where to find the wines. So let’s begin.
Cari Saluti,
Emilia
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An indulgent start
The Bellavista Alma Gran Cuvée Franciacorta is an elegant sparkling to start the Easter celebrations in the afternoon or early evening with a high note. This year my Birthday is on Easter Saturday, so it gives an even better reason to enjoy this beautiful Bellavista sparkling wine.
Bellavista Alma Gran Cuvée Franciacorta is made with 70 % Chardonnay, 29 % Pinot Nero and 1 % of Pinot Blanco, harvested in late August to early September. The wine is described at Bellavista's website as: The aromas range from ripe fruit to fresh flowers, all the way to vanilla and pastry. In the mouth, it is mineral and sensorily complete, fresh and vibrant, and very consistent from an aromatic perspective, with a long, harmonious finish.
This indulgent sparkling wine is made with the metodo classic with the second fermentation in the bottle. It’s uplifting, very dry, acidic and crisp. Pair it with fresh fish antipasti (think salmon tartar) or you could even to continue the whole meal with it. Elegant and excellent, give this gorgeous Franciacorta a try!
Feeling Fresh
If you’re serving fish or any seafood with a lot of flavor as the main course, I recommend the Angelo Negro Onorata Favorita 2021 white wine. It’s made with 100% Vermentino of the Langhe region, also know as the Favorita del Roero and hand-picked in late September. The wine is fresh, with an intense aroma of flowers and green apple. On the palate it has crisp citrus flavours, hints of herbs, acidity, with a delicate and soft finish.
Read more about the Producer Angelo Negro from this recent Merenda post.
The King and the Lamb
The red wine I recommend you to pair with your Easter meats, is the Barolo Antica Rossa 2017. If you’re serving roasted lamb as the main course, try this exclusive Barolo (also known as the king of red wines) from Ricossa Antica Casa, vintage 2017. Made with 100% Nebbiolo grown on mostly calcareous-clayey soil in Barolo Piemonte, this award-winning red is a great choice for Easter (or any other celebratory) dinner.
The Ricossa Barolo is a tannic and distinguished red to pair nicely with roasted lamb or even lamb chops. If there is any wine left after your main course, pair it with hard cheeses and a cherry jam. On the nose the wine has deep spices, licorice, red fruits, and even caramel. On the palate it has sour cherry, light leather with herbal notes, and it’s full-bodied, with a long finish. All in all a well-balanced and pleasing Barolo.
To finish on a strong note
If you’re feeling full after the meal, try the Poli Cleopatra Amarone Oro Grappa for a digestive, and feel how at once you’re stomach (and probably mood) is at ease!
This excellent quality Grappa from the Poli producer is stored in oak barrels in the underground cellars of the Poli Distillery in Bassano del Grappa. It has aromas of ripe red grapes, almonds and walnuts. The perfect finish, after enjoying a few chocolate eggs.
Where to Find the Wines: your shopping list
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