The ultimate Easter Sunday lunch with Bordeaux Wines

If you’re planning a traditional Easter meal this year, why not zest it up by choosing the wine pairings that will enhance and complement the flavours of each dish?

Here are some ideas on which Bordeaux wines to serve with some classic Easter dishes. All the wines are available from a wide selection of UK retailers and are priced between £6 and £25.

Easter starter ideas

A classic prawn cocktail is always a winner but why not try something different this year? Our version is made with shrimps, an addition of tomatoes and avocado, all ingredients beautifully layered in a transparent glass with sauce served on top. A dry white Bordeaux, such as Château La Rose du Pin 2021 from Entre-Deux-Mers, would make an excellent pairing. Made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes with a touch of Sémillon, this vibrant wine has flavours of apples, pears and citrus with a crisp pleasingly balanced almost saline finish.

Alternatively, to compliment the pink prawns, the freshness of the lemon and the sweetness of the sauce there’s nothing better than a fresh and fruity Bordeaux Rosé. Why not try an organic Château du Seuil Bordeaux Rosé 2021 made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes. This is a fruity and floral, rounded and dry style, with a crisp bite and the crunch of crab apples.

If you’re not a big fan of prawn cocktail or just want to switch it up this year, try these creamy mushroom vol-au-vents – flaky puff pastry bites loaded with a creamy garlicky mushroom filling.

As a wine pairing we suggest Château de Chantegrive Cuvée Caroline 2020 from the Graves region of Bordeaux. This Sauvignon and Sémillon blend is flinty, smoky and tropical guava nose. Elegant balance between oak and fruit with a satisfying pithy finish.

Easter main dishes and wine pairings

Lamb is of course a classic Easter main dish. The rich sauce and flavoursome meat need an equally full wine, and there’s nothing better than a powerful and intense Bordeaux red from the Médoc region of Bordeaux.

We suggest Château Doyac 2019, Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois – a delightful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with ripe blackberries and classic cedarwood spice on the nose. This wine has plenty of structure and concentration to age for several years, it’s vibrant and rich – an ideal food match that stands up to the powerful flavours of the lamb.

As not everyone loves the taste of lamb, roast chicken is a great substitute. We love roasting chicken with lemon and rosemary. It’s simple too – just throw all the ingredients, along with the marinade, into a large baking dish and pop it in the oven. You’ll want to pair it with an aromatic, structured and generous dry white wine, which will balance the juicy flavours of the chicken, such as Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc blends – why not try Château Puyanché Blanc 2019 from the Francs Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. This is a full-bodied, peachy food wine. Textural amd toasty – it would be perfect with roast chicken.

While white Bordeaux wine is a more classic pairing here, right bank Bordeaux red blends are typically a little bit lighter in body and, therefore, it’s more than acceptable to serve them with chicken. Vieux Château des Combes 2018, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru – a blend of equal parts of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, broad with ripe, black berry fruits on offer, juicy hedgerow fruit flavours, rich, intense and complex with soft, rounded structure – would be another great choice for chicken.

Sweet Easter treats and wine pairings

Easter is not Easter without an abundance of sweet treats. From chocolate eggs to hot cross buns and Simnel cake, there’s a lot to indulge in.
When it comes to Simnel cake, we need something to match the warm spice that won’t be outdone by the amount of sweetness. We suggest serving it with a glass of sweet Bordeaux white wine such as Château Liot 2019 from Sauternes. This honeyed, youthful and elegant wine, with lemon curd and almond flavours, displays a lovely sweetness offset by racy acidity that will beautifully complement the flavours of Simnel cake.

Hot Cross Buns are another must-have Easter treat. Of course, a good old cuppa would be the most obvious choice but we are talking wine here so why not serve them with a dry white Bordeaux for a change – try Calvet Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc 2021 – a classic, dry Bordeaux Sauvignon – with fresh, zesty citrus and crushed leaves, rich texture with a crisp and refreshing finish. It will work equally well with hot cross buns and Simnel cake if you want to balance out the sweetness.

Finally, for all the wine and chocolate pairing ideas – check this article.

Whatever dishes you choose this Easter, we hope you enjoy them with Bordeaux wines!