Easter Food & Wine Matching Tips & Tricks

For me, there’s two foods that are particularly ‘Easter’ for me: hot cross buns and chocolate, mountains and mountains of chocolate. I love to slightly grill the hot cross buns and then slather them with lashings of butter and well with the chocolate, I’ll take it any which way 😉 With Easter only mere days away, I thought it would be the perfect time to put a post together with some of my favourite wine matches for Easter foods. Seriously what’s a 4 day weekend without wine?

Hot Cross Buns:

I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to my hot cross buns. They must have fruit in, that white cross on the top and gorgeous shiny glaze. I always have them with butter and if I’m feeling particularly risqué then with grilled bacon and maple syrup – yum!

Over Easter (and actually for the last 2 weeks) I have my hot cross buns for brekky so naturally a sparkling wine is a superb accompaniment. I love my brut (dry) bubbles but I reckon the demi-sec (slightly sweet) sparkling wines are a match made in heaven.

If you’re really looking to do hot cross buns and wine in style then opt for a bottle of Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial (about $80 a bottle).

If the above doesn’t tickle your fancy the following can also make great wine matches:

• Off-dry Riesling
• Unoaked crisp Chardonnay
• Cabernet Franc to match the fruit in the buns
• Dessert wine like a Muscat or Pedro Ximenez

Milk Chocolate:

With all that creamy milky goodness you need a wine that’ll compliment and add to that glorious experience of stuffing your face with milk chocolate. Something equally as sweet but with a bit of acidity will create an absolute party in your mouth. A dessert style wine like a botrytis vino will go down a treat and so will vintage port.

If you’re not keen on the sweet on sweet, which can be a bit intense for those savoury ones of us, then a Pinot Noir can provide a lovely taste sensation. Think of reds with fruity light characteristics.

White Chocolate:

Something equally as pretty and delectable will make a great wine match with white chocolate. For me I like to reward myself with a nip or 5 of a sweet ice wine or Tokaji dessert wine. Again it’s that balance of sweet and acidity which will provide the ultimate flavour combination.

For a drier match an off-dry bubbles goes down quite nicely, think a sparkling Chenin Blanc or perhaps even a wee Moscato, still or bubbly will work.

Dark Chocolate:

Give me a bar of Lindt 85% and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and you have one happy lady. Red wine and chocolate is a best friend, a counsellor, a soother and most definitely the perfect date night in. A red wine with a bit of tannin intertwines so well with the bitterness in dark choccie which is why a powerful Cab Sauv or Shiraz will go down an absolute treat.

But most importantly what you need to remember is that when it comes to matching wine with food – there are no rules! These are just some simply suggestions to get the ball rolling and well, my taste buds think they’re pretty darn tasty. And don’t be afraid to experiment! The best wine and food matches I have come across have been on complete accident. Sometimes something that you think won’t go together will be an absolute delight.

At the end of the day the best match is the complete medley of good wine, good food and good company. Happy Easter Wine Lovers!