Corkscrew Chronicles: Easter food and wine choices

Easter is the year's second major wine holiday and a special one, as many consumers abstain from wine during Lent. The Easter meal focuses on three major entrées; turkey, ham and red meat/lamb. Following are some thoughts on wine pairings for your holiday table: Turkey's mellow flavors enables it to pair with any wine you find enjoyable. Ham is cured with smoke and salt, and sweet bastes are also commonly used during the cooking process. Lamb is rich and sometimes earthy. While lamb is popular, many consumers find greater mass appeal in fine cuts of red meat for their meal. Sparklers Marvelous aperitifs and for serving throughout a meal with turkey and ham. There are also sweeter examples. Roses can offer red fruit notes for flavor interest and to complement red meats. These are perfect wines to offer as friends and family arrive, but consider keeping some extra bottles on hand for continued enjoyment throughout the event. Look for sparklers from Debonne, Ferrante, Kosicek, Laurello, M Cellars (Ohio), Domaine Carneros, Domaine Chandon, Iron Horse, Mumm Napa, Schramsberg (California), Argyle (Oregon), de Faveri, Mionetto, Tommasi (Prosecco, Italy), Ayala, Billecart-Salmon, Bollinger, Drappier, Moet, Mumm, Perrier-Jouet, Roederer, Taittinger and Veuve Clicquot (Champagne). Turkey Hi Def Riesling, Mosel, Germany ($11) — crisp, appley and lingering. South River Vineyard Semillon, Grand River, Ohio ($21) — A delicate white that is concentrated with racy acidity. Nisia Old Vine Verdejo, Rueda, Spain ($17) — Crisp and textured with delicate citrus fruit nuances. Elk Cove Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($22) — brilliant fruit aromas and mouthwatering flavors. Domaine Talmard Macon Chardonnay, Burgundy, France ($22) — an unoaked example from the birthplace of Chardonnay showing apple and mineral characters. Ferrante "Signature Series" Chardonnay, Grand River, Ohio ($18) — Citrus and light lemon notes with smooth texture and exceptional balance between fruit, oak and creamy complexity. Grayson Cellars Zinfandel, Lodi, California ($13) — ripe raspberry and vanilla fruit, smooth flavors. Laurello Vineyards Pinot Noir, Grand River, Ohio ($21) — strawberry/cranberry overtones with hints of earth and an acidity-enhanced finish. Shows nice texture and length. Revelry Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington ($19) — Scents of black cherry and toasty oak flavors in a supple style. Simply baked ham M Cellars Pinot Gris, Grand River, Ohio ($22) — richly packed with fresh, citrusy fruit. Crisply-defined. Debonne Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay, Grand River, Ohio ($12) — shows lemon/apple elegance, length and balance. Rodney Strong Rose of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California ($25) — Fresh and crisp with red berry nuances. Very food flexible. Jovino Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($14) — dark strawberry aromas and flavors with cool climate structure. Heron Creek Marquette, Wellington, Ohio ($22) — flavorful, supple and elegant. Softly-dry and darkly fruited. Ham with sweet baste Buccia Agawam, Conneaut, Ohio ($14) — Softly sweet and fruity with spice and herb overtones. Baci Estate Riesling, Grand River, Ohio ($32) — A brilliantly flavored Riesling with balanced acidity and sweet, ripe Riesling fruit. Perrone Moscato d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy ($19) — Frothy and pleasantly sweet with fresh grape nuances. Matus "Purple Haze," Wakeman, Ohio ($16) — a pleasantly sweet red blend with fruity nuances in an easily drinkable style. Red meats/lamb Tres Picos Garnacha, Campo di Borja, Spain ($20) A richly-flavored red with cherry fruit, power and supple texture. Vermilion Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, Lake Erie, Ohio ($32) — Ripe, dark fruit aromas with round and complex flavors tinged with mineral finishing with supple tannins. J Lohr "7 Oaks" Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, California ($17) — an expressive red with black cherry and pretty vanillin oak characters. Kosicek Allegiance, Grand River, Ohio ($27) — a plush and mellow blackberry-nuanced red blend that is complex and lingering. Welcome Spring! A happy and safe Easter to all! Gary Twining is a certified wine educator who worked 34 years in the wholesale fine wine industry. Email him at winingwithtwining@hotmail.com.