The owners of the nine family-owned and operated wineries of
the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail understand how important the Easter meal is for
gathering with family and friends, and offers the following food and wine
pairing suggestions for this year’s dinner.
Amoré Vineyards &
Winery, Nazareth - Pair Amore Pink Passion with ham, pork and sauerkraut or
Rose Amore with baked ham. After dinner, relax with a glass of Rapport or Vidal
Blanc dessert wines.
Big Creek Vineyard and
Winery, Kresgeville - Their Vin di Pasqualina is a great all-around wine for
traditional Easter dinners. Both sweet and dry wine fans will enjoy the
glass-filling aroma of this semi-dry rose. It is a blend of three grapes, but the bouquet and character
come from Niagara, an aromatic white grape that can stand a little chill and
still deliver lots of flavor. It works as an aperitif, or with ham,
turkey, or baked ziti.
Blue Mountain Vineyards,
New Tripoli – Their 2013 Pinot Noir
(a silver medal winner in this year’s Finger Lakes International Wine
Competition) is a dry red wine with fruity and subtle earthy notes will compliment
a glazed Easter ham. Their dry 2013 Riesling, non-oaked 2011 Chardonnay and
semi-sweet 2013 White Merlot, with their balanced fruitiness and silky acidity,
will also compliment the smoky flavor of ham.
Clover Hill Vineyards
& Winery, Breinigsville - Riesling
is a great option for Easter ham and the winery produces a dry Generations
Riesling and a semi-sweet Riesling. Try making a Holiday Ham Glaze with 1 cup
of Clover Hill Holiday wine mixed with 1 cup of brown sugar. Blend ingredients,
coat ham, and baste frequently.
Franklin Hill Vineyards,
Bangor - They suggest a blush like
Kiss with ham, and a complex red like Evanswood for prime rib. For dessert,
make a Jelly-Bean-tini to pair with your cake and pies. Three days before Easter
pour a bottle of Vidal Blanc in a container and put 2 tbsp. of white, pink and
yellow jellybeans in it. Once the wine is infused with the sweetness, pour in a
half-cup of vodka and enough Passion, Desire or Bliss wines to give it color.
Separate your infusion and drop a jellybean in the bottom of the glass for
garnish.
Galen Glen Vineyard &
Winery, Andreas – Winery Owners Galen
and Sarah recommend what they are serving at their own Easter celebration:
their semi-dry Riesling with honey mustard glazed ham, their Stone Cellar
Chambourcin with braised lamb shanks, and their Stone Cellar Vidal Blanc Ice
Wine with cheesecake.
Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - Their Vidal Blanc is the perfect companion for
traditional Easter fare. To make more of a splash, their Brut Rose
sparkling wine would be a festive choice.
Tolino
Vineyards, Bangor - Celebrate with your family by sharing a bottle of 2013
Vidal Blanc. This dry white wine has a
pineapple and tropical fruit body that goes great with ham and gives the meal a
refreshing taste. For red wine lovers, pair Easter ham with their 2012 Cabernet
Franc. The fruity notes pair well with the sweet glaze of the ham, and the
subtle spice complements the seasoning of the meat. Their dessert wine, Sweet
Frances, is the perfect after-dinner treat that boasts a mango, pineapple body
with high acidity.
Vynecrest Winery,
Breinigsville – Pair their Dry
Riesling with Easter ham, lamb, or turkey. It's a dry expression of Riesling
with a tropical nose and bold, crisp, acidic finish. And it’s the Wine of the
Month for April with 10% off the regular price of $12.99.
