The most common main dishes gracing American tables for Easter are ham or lamb. There are many explanations as to why these meats are often the centerpieces of the menu. One historian credits ham simply for good timing and convenience. Traditionally, hogs were slaughtered in the fall, then cured and smoked. The process took five to six months, and the hams were ready just in time for Easter.
Another explanation is that the pig was considered a symbol of luck in pre-Christian Europe.
Lamb’s popularity is more symbolic of the holiday. According to the Encyclopedia of Religion edited by Mircea Eliade:
“Among Easter foods the most significant is the Easter lamb, which is in many places the main dish of the Easter Sunday meal. Corresponding to the Passover lamb and to Christ, the Lamb of God, this dish has become a central symbol of Easter.”
Regardless of which meat you’ll be serving, there will most likely be an array of flavors competing for grandeur. Consider the following wine matches for your Easter celebration.
To serve with ham:
THE VALUE
- 2006 Hayman & Hill Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, California (about $14, retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2006 Sonoma Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, California (about $28 retail)
To serve with lamb:
THE VALUE
- 2007 Rosemount Estate Diamond Label Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2007 Keenan Carneros Merlot, California (about $35 retail)
To serve with a buffet or a wide variety of dishes:
THE VALUE
- 2007 Clean Slate Riesling, Germany (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2006 Pierre Sparr Alsace One, France (about $19 retail)
Sparking wine to serve with morning brunch:
THE VALUE
- NV Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs, Washington (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- NV Domaine Carneros Brut, California (about $36 retail)
To serve at an afternoon egg hunt:
THE VALUE
- 2007 Castello Banfi Centine Rose, Italy (about $13 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2007 Banfi Rosa Regale, Italy (about $24 retail)