EASTER EATS and drinks

A SPECIAL LUNCH FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AT EASTER REQUIRES A BIT OF CAREFUL PLANNING AND SOME DETAILED CONSIDERATION AS TO THE WINES YOU WILL SERVE... AFTER ALL, WINE AND EASTER ARE INSEPARABLE

Words: LÍVIA MOKRI

IN PORTUGAL, at Easter it is customary to have a hearty table, with fish options – including cod and salmon as well as seafood – leading the way, in addition to the long-awaited chocolate eggs. However, a typical Easter meal goes beyond the dishes served... the presence of delicious wines is essential. If you haven’t already chosen the ones you will enjoy on this celebratory occasion, keep reading and check out my tips!

For starters

For cold cut boards, skewers and other meat-based snacks, choose light red wines, such as Pinot Noir.

For fried starters, such as polenta, onion rings and potatoes, a good choice is the drier sparkling wines that have high acidity to clean the taste of the cooking process.

If cheese and cheese-based dishes are your starter snack choice, choose a light or medium-bodied red wine, such as Merlot, or a classic white, such as Chardonnay.

Fishing for flavour

Prawn dishes call for whites. Despite being extremely delicate and light, prawn meat is one of the tastiest alternatives we can find in the seafood universe. Pay attention to the best wines that harmonise with each seasoning, as prawn meat absorbs the characteristics of the ingredients used in each recipe.

For very spicy preparations, opt for white wines with lower alcohol content. You can serve them with a good aromatic white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling.

For prawns in butter or cooked and served with creamy sauces, more full-bodied white wines – such as Chardonnays – can help balance the flavour.

Grilled prawns and risotto, in turn, harmonise very well with sparkling wines, while a complete paella calls for very young Aragonez or Tinta Roriz wines.

Another favourite ingredient for Easter lunch is salmon, one of the best-loved fishes in the world, both for its flavour and nutritional value. Salmon, however, has completely different characteristics – texture, taste and aroma – which vary according to the way it is cooked. The choice of the best wines therefore depends on the style of the dish.

For salmon consumed raw, as in sashimi, or ceviche, or a poke bowl, a light white wine is the right choice, so as not to compete with the smooth flavour of the cuts. If the preparation process uses citrus ingredients, such as lemon juice as in a ceviche, you can replace the white wine with a Brut sparkling wine, which helps to refresh the palate.

Smoked salmon pairs well with rosé wines and sparkling wines, which are exquisite in the right measure with the slightly stronger flavour that is the result of the smoking.

Pasta dishes that include salmon call for white or rosé wines, the first being ideal for white, creamy sauces and the second for tomato-based sauces. For those who choose grilled salmon, white wines from the Sauvignon Blanc grape are good choices, or red wine from the Pinot Noir grape. Boiled salmon partners well with a white Portuguese espumante (sparkling wine).

When in comes to the sweet treats

If you want to end your Easter lunch in style, how about pairing your puddings with great dessert wines? For recipes made with dark chocolate, a dry red wine may be the right choice, but sweet desserts, however, call for sweeter wines as an accompaniment. Therefore, Port wine or late-harvest wines are interesting alternatives due to their sweetness and liqueur-like silkiness. These wines go well with milk and white chocolate, as well as with fruit pies and cakes.

Vinho Verde Wines

Vinho Verde wines seem to have been traditionally made to pair with fish and seafood. That’s why we like to call it a joker option for the Easter lunch.

As long as the dishes are smooth and with little seasoning – this is the perfect wine to accompany any recipes prepared with white fish.

My suggestion: Quinta de Santiago Alvarinho

Loureiro White

Ros S

The fame of rosé wines is justified by their lightness and delicacy, ideal for warmer days... as are usual here during the Easter holiday.

Because they have the freshness of white wines and a structure that is slightly reminiscent of reds, rosés combine with various dishes, especially fish or seafood. And if the menu includes Bacalhau à Brás, a wine with a strong presence and elegance is perfect, and rosés have both in abundance.

My suggestion: Maçanita Touriga Nacional em Rosé

Chardonnay

The white Chardonnay grape variety gives rise to light and fresh wines, as long as they do not age in oak barrels. When the Chardonnays are from colder regions, they provide greater elegance and freshness, while in warmer regions, the aromas of ripe fruit and the density caused by the alcohol content are more evident.

As for pairing: the young wines are great to enjoy with pasta in white sauce and grilled fish. The oak-aged ones are the ideal company for the traditional bacalhau, as well as prawn and pasta with cheesebased sauces.

My suggestion: Quinta do Gradil Chardonnay White

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir produces wines with delicate flavours and a less intense red colour. Its aromatic notes are dominated by the presence of red fruits, in addition to the delicate notes of spices. As it ages, more complex aromas emerge, such as dried flowers and mushrooms.

Although it is a lighter red wine with few tannins, Pinot Noir has a vibrant acidity, making it combine both with lean meats and dishes that have the more fatty tuna or salmon as the main ingredient. Due to its versatility, this wine is perfect for an Easter lunch with a variety of dishes.

My suggestion: Campolargo Pinot Noir Red