April 2021: Lamb and Wine at Easter Time

Lamb is an Easter lunch tradition in our family and an opportunity to open a beautiful bottle of wine. Thought and effort goes into the selection, preparation and presentation of the meal and your wine pairing deserves some consideration. Don’t grab the first bottle of wine you find! The right wine can complement your cooking and elevate a dining experience. The question is, how do you select the right wine?

The cut of meat and method of cooking influence the flavour and texture of the meal. Roast shoulder of lamb with rosemary, garlic and a crust of seasoning requires a very different wine to delicate, rare, tender lamb cutlets with spring greens. The key to selecting the right wine is to consider the weight of the food and pair it with a similar weighted wine.

For tender, delicate Spring lamb served rare, I recommend pairing with a young, light to medium bodied Pinot Noir. Bright cherry and fresh berry fruit, a subtle touch of oak and hint of spice. The tannic structure will be gentle and not dominate the palate. I recommend Domaine de Valmoissine Pinot Noir 2017, Louis Latour from Majestic Wine at £11.99.

Slow roasted leg or shoulder of lamb is a weightier, richer dish and needs an equally heavy wine to compliment it. I suggest Rioja Reserva ‘Gran Bohedal’ Bodegas Bohedal 2014 from de-burgh.com at £16.99. Look for black cherry and cassis fruit character, tobacco, leather and cedar notes from long oak aging on the nose. The nose is beautiful and complex. The tannins detected on the palate are sophisticated and provide texture that will stand up to the roast lamb. The slightly elevated acidity cuts through the fat of roast lamb. Open or decant an hour before you serve and serve at room temperature. Remember to swirl the wine around your glass to further open and develop the character of the wine. Cheers!