Celebration and reflection

This weekend, families will celebrate the holiday in their own fashion, with food that reflects their family heritage.

Each traditional choice of dinner will suggest a different wine pairing. In many cultures, seafood will be their choice and the selected wines are invariably white. Lobster, shrimp and crab are usually paired with a lightly-oaked chardonnay. Grilled fish is always perfectly matched to a dry riesling. If your traditional meal is a roast leg of lamb (with all the trimmings), consider a full-bodied cabernet sauvignon or cabernet franc. For some families, the ultimate dish is a glazed ham—which always calls for an earthy pinot noir or, indeed, a gamay noir. A roast beef dinner is a great companion for baco noir. If your preference runs to a beautiful bouquet of vegetables and grains, you might consider a gewürztraminer or chenin blanc (unless it includes a mix of earthy mushrooms, which suggests a pinot noir). For the sweet tooth, traditional desserts are ideally paired with late-harvest wines.

The Easter Bunny, of course, requests that the chocolate he supplies be matched to a port or port-style wine.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
In a timely fashion, I was fortunate to taste a 2012 Merlot from Harwood Estates Winery. Made with fruit grown in Niagara, this wine was crafted in the winery located on Loyalist Parkway just west of Hillier. From the approach on the nose of a cherry clafoutis with a hint of burnt brown sugar, to the palate of damson prune and vanilla, it is a lovely wine. Although this wine has light tannins, I recommend that you decant it just prior to enjoying your Easter meal. This wine retails for $29 and is available at the winery.

Last, but not least, it is that time of year to think of donating to our local food banks so we can all share in our good fortune.