So I have news for you! I have prepared the list of Easter must-have wines, and I have chosen them one by one to meet all expectations and scenarios. Yes ahem, we’ll eat stew, we’ll scramble eggs, we’ll glorify the arrowroot, and whatever other delicious thing comes to our table, we’ll honor it (…crush). After all, that’s why I’m here, to have the “smart” Easter wine list ready for you to match!
Magiritsa & wine partners
The exuberant galiritsa is the star of the dish and its wine companion must be of the same caliber. The soup – dynamite flavor requires the wine that will stand next to it to be characterized by refreshing acidity and structure. A robust white might be the first choice, but keep in mind some gastronomic rosé as a plan b, it’s not bad. If you’re one of those people who don’t like cooking, you’ll most likely choose a lemonade liver, a pork pan with rosemary, or a goat fricassee. No worries, again we are moving on the same wavelength, since the fattiness of the meats and the herbs will not be missing in any case.
Night- Santo Wines
Night, I choose you because you are a wine with body, high alcohol and penetrating acidity, exactly what I dreamed of for my little cook. Intense ripe fruit, aromas reminiscent of jasmine, evening primrose and green fruit, as well as some notes of vanilla from the barrel, compose a complete aromatic personality that knows how to balance alongside dynamic complex flavors. I love and “believe” in it a lot. Indicative price: €23.50
Tear of the Pine – Kehris Winery
I think the smartest choice you can make is for a goat fricassee or a stir-fry with herbs. It has everything. Do you want a keg? Six months please! Herbalism? It’s retsina! Crisp acidity? With Assyrtiko you never lose… And I continue with pleasant citrus aromas that combine wonderfully with the subtle elements of pine and mastic, making the choice even better. Finally, a few buttery notes, hints of vanilla and hints of smoke come to close the complex personality of this retsina.
PS I challenge you to try it with the Sunday welcome snacks. I can’t describe any more…
Indicative price: €14.00
Welcome appetizers & wine partners
The welcome drinks and appetizers until the obelias is cooked are the necessary stepping stones to go to the table… cool! So we start with spinach pies, cheese pies, vegetable tarts, dolmades, fresh seasonal salads and other such finger foods that we don’t eat to fill us up but to whet our appetite even more. Somewhere around here we will also need a wine with a rich aromatic character, with fruity and herbal elements to fill the mouth with freshness and pave the way to the following arrow.
Savvatiano- Matsa Estate
It is a variety that I love together with such mezedaki, havale and small talk. Fruity, cool, with a pleasant acidity and a medium body, a Sabbatian “mourlia” that goes very well with Greek cuisine and light dishes. Its aromatic character offers fruity elements reminiscent of apple, lime, pear, as well as a few more pleasant notes of violet and mint that complete the palette. It is as I say and even better.
Indicative price: €8.80
Xinomavro – Estate of Gerovasiliou
Spring in full swing, rosé in full swing, flavors in full swing, that’s why we go with a gastronomic Xinomavro rosé to enjoy our appetizers, and not only that. I love this year’s color, I’ve said (and drunk) it 100 times, and I want you to know that its crisp acidity is the best thing to counter the full flavors of the days. In the meantime, aromas of citrus fruits, forest fruits, cherry, strawberry, as well as subtle notes of vegetation make up its “rosé” aromatic profile. If you even have in mind to make some tomato saganaki for an appetizer, or an easy salad with cherry tomatoes, olive paste and nuts, you’ll love it!
PS Here is the rosé challenge that we said we should try with the stew.
Indicative price: €15.00
On the grill
The meats of the day, like the delicious ovelias, are characterized by fatty textures and a rich flavor structure, so we always play safe with a red. Don’t ask why…this love of tannins for meat protein is an old story, and it suddenly creates that flavor fullness that you want at that moment. What grease to be afraid of next… On the other hand, for those of you who will go for the beloved version with lamb in the oven and vine leaves, a white with a little barrel is your wine other half.
Enotria Erythros – Doulofakis Winery
Syrah 60%, along with 30% Kotsifali, and the rest is completed by Liatiko (do the math yourself). You don’t understand how you go from one glass to another (and I won’t tell you a bottle), because it is by nature one of those awesome reds, the “social” ones we call. Of course, the varietal expression is at its high, which is why you will encounter exuberant aromas of red fruits, subtle notes of vegetation, and elegant elements reminiscent of black pepper. I told you… it’s your turn to verify me.
Indicative price: €6.80
Monolith Erythro – Bairaktaris Estate
The Bayraktari Estate openly declares its love for the imposing Greek varieties. So you have understood what 100% Agiorgitiko Bayraktari means, before I even tell you that we are also talking about “Nemea” here. Aromas of black fruits, reminiscent of plum, black berries, cherry and sweet spices, do justice to the Peloponnese favorite Agiorgitiko and to be honest they also do obelia justice, as the well-sculpted tannins of the wine beautifully embrace its oily texture. We’re talking about super combos, not jokes.
Indicative price: €9.00
Haroula Erythros – Argatia Winery
80% Xinomavro, 10% Negoska and 10% Mavrodafni make our “Haroula”, which cannot be missed from our table, which is full of… charules. Its fruity character with strawberries and sour cherries creates all the conditions for the earthy palette that will follow, with a distinct aroma of fresh tomatoes. At the end, herbal notes reminiscent of bay leaves give the baton to the well-crafted tannins of the wine, uniquely framing the dynamic temperament of Ovelia.
Indicative price: €10.50
Fume-Ktima Karipidis
Along with the baked version, trust a glorified variety like Sauvignon Blanc. Ripe fruits such as melon, peach and quince acrobatic over vegetal elements reminiscent of basil, and sweet spices such as vanilla. The 6 months it spends in French oak barrels give it the strength it needs to stand on the exuberant table of Lambri. Acidity is great, as its freshness in the mouth breaks up any type of fat from the meats. If it roasts you, try it too if you prefer the spit. I guarantee it “can” and with the above!
Indicative price: €17.60
