What are some good wines to pair with Easter dinner?
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking. And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. And don't forget to check out my most asked questions and my full archives for all my Q&A classics.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
What are some good wines to pair with Easter dinner, particularly ham?
—Randy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Dear Randy,
Good question. I’m bringing the wine (and my famous, from-scratch macaroni and cheese) to Easter this year, so I’ve been thinking about this question myself.
Hands down, my favorite choices with ham are Riesling and Gewürztraminer, so I’ll bring a couple of bottles for me to enjoy and for my friends who wisely always drink whatever Dr. Vinny is drinking. For my friends who drink only reds, I’ll find soft and fruity examples of Zinfandel, Pinot Noir or Grenache-based wines. I’ll also bring a dry rosé, which will appeal to the über-wine-geeks around the table. Finally, you can never go wrong with bubbly, which is always festive and goes with a variety of foods, including macaroni and cheese and ham.
—Dr. Vinny
