Our ultimate Easter wine pairing guide

Easter is a time for gathering with family and friends, indulging in all kinds of seasonal treats. You've got Good Friday seafood feasts, Sunday roasts, chocolate eggs and much-loved hot cross buns (which can also be eaten in the weeks leading up to Easter).

Wine graces most tables during Easter as well, but with so many different kinds of dishes available, finding the right bottles to buy can be tough. That's why we've curated this guide to the best Easter wine pairings – making sure you make the most out of these long days surrounded by some of your favourite people.

Wines for Good Friday seafood

Fish dishes are hugely popular throughout Easter, particularly on Good Friday. The way you prepare your fish – either with herbs and spices, grilled with lemon, or deep-fried in batter – will determine which wine you choose.

Chardonnay is a great choice thanks to the diverse styles you can find: try leaner examples with lighter dishes (grilled or baked), and fruit-forward, lightly-oaked versions with richer flavours (fried). Pinot grigio and dry rieslings will also go well with a lot of different kinds of seafood. 

Wines to pair with hot cross buns

Almost every bakery will be offering its take on the classic hot cross bun this Easter. In fact, these spots will be pumping out hot cross buns for many weeks in the lead-up to Easter. This means you have plenty of opportunities to play around with hot cross bun wine pairings. 

When devouring them, enjoy a glass of Australian sparkling wine on Easter morning. A good dry sherry will also further emphasise the spice and dried fruit of the hot cross buns – and is perfect for when you enjoy these as a late-night snack on the couch. 

Top wines to pair with Easter Sunday roasts

For many, an Easter Sunday lunch is comprised of a show-stopping roast meat and a variety of sides. Roast lamb is the most popular option, providing an opportunity to open some rich, structured wines.

The tannin of these wines can cut through the fattiness of the meat for a balanced companionship. Cabernet sauvignon is an Easter Sunday classic (regardless of whether you celebrate over lunch or dinner) with the mint-forward notes combining with the rich meat – giving a kind of mint jelly effect.

You can also try tempranillo – featuring berry and leather notes – a cool-climate shiraz or nebbiolo that gives cherry and anise notes. You can even change it up, opting for a vintage sparkling rosé.

Wines for Easter side dishes

Common side dishes enjoyed with Easter mains include cheesy potato gratin, salads, green beans and roasted pumpkin. With these comfort-style foods, try sparkling wines with the acidity to refresh the palate — prosecco is an especially good choice. If you’re introducing honey-glazed carrots or asparagus to the menu, a fresh riesling or sauvignon blanc will work well.

But with the sides likely to be a mix-match of different kinds of dishes, we suggest going for a wine which can be consider an all-rounder. You'll want to pick a bottle with high acidity, lower alcohol and lower tannin. This will ensure the wine doesn't overpower the food your eating. A grenache, off-dry riesling, pinot gris or rosé will do the trick. when pairing wine with your Easter feast

Wines to pair with chocolate

Easter would not be complete without baked goods and chocolatey treats. For the dozens of Easter eggs that are gifted and received, there's no better pairing than chocolate and fortified wine. You can always check out our detailed chocolate and wine pairing guide, but to keep things simple, here are a few suggestions. 

If you have got a top-quality fortified wine hiding in your cellar, be sure to bring it out when biting into dark chocolate during your Easter feasting. Alternatively, pinot noir and sweet sherries are great friends of chocolate. 

And for those out there who are big fans of white chocolate, look to gewürztraminer and late-harvest rieslings for your pairing – the sweetness of the former is a good match for the latter.

Discover more food pairing guides – plus lots of wine-related tips and tricks – with our Halliday Resources hub.

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