In Louisiana, springtime cooking reaches its high-water mark at Easter. Home cooks pull out all the stops as families gather round for all manner of seasonal feasts. You’re likely to see crawfish boils or pots of etouffee, as well as traditional roast turkey, grilled leg of lamb or a sprawling picnic of spiral-cut honey ham with homespun sides. But no matter what ends up on the table, the right wine will elevate every morsel.
This year, 225 turned to Bin Q Liquor owner Ben Jones for suggestions on wines that pair beautifully with some of our favorite Easter meals. All selections are natural wines, or wines fermented without additives, and are available at Bin Q. binqliquor.com
1. If you’re serving crawfish:
“I like riesling with spicy food because it has really nice acid, lots of citrus notes and just a little bit of sugar,” Jones says. “That bit of sweetness balances out the spiciness.”
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Jones says this selection works well with any heavily spiced seafood dish. And if you’re not a regular riesling drinker, don’t fall into the trap of thinking it just reads sweet. “It’s so much more than that,” he says.
2. If you’re serving ham:
From Provence, this organically grown wine is a field blend of no less than 14 red and white grapes. It’s a great springtime and summer sipper and a winning selection to bring along to a picnic.
“It’s really light and juicy,” Jones says. “And perfect with ham or any salty meat.”
Be sure to chill it slightly before drinking.
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3. If you’re serving lamb:
Roast or grilled lamb is a sumptuous Easter classic, and there’s a reason it’s usually served with syrah. The wine’s heft stands up to lamb and brings out its robust flavor. This wine is produced between the northern and southern regions of the Rhône Valley and shows characteristics from each, Jones says.
“It’s really spice-forward with a lot of pepper notes, some brooding dark fruit flavors and some gaminess to it,” Jones says. “That makes it perfect for lamb.”
This article was originally published in the March 2024 issue of 225 magazine.