It’s already Easter and I’m way behind on these very important and informative wine blog posts! I hope I’m not too late with my Easter wine recommendation!? As far as pairings go, I realize many of you will be eating delicious, traditional meals involving some sort of carved ham (maybe topped with a slice of canned, sugar-added pineapple ring) or hard-boiled eggs (which will more than likely be out of the refrigerator much longer than deemed safe, with a faint hint of Red #40, or Yellow #5). Or, maybe you’ll just stick with the chocolate and wine? Either way, red wine goes with everything! *Your Somm friend is shaking her/his head right now…
This cute photo was taken by my cousin Penny, from her very own table. I would’ve enhanced it by adding a glass of red, but that’s just me… 😉
Ladera is an old favorite.
Now, if we were all so fortunate as to have exclusive wine memberships, boutique wine shops in our neighborhoods, or a Sommelier best friend who ships us wine on a regular basis, we’d have no problem finding the perfect Easter wine! But, if you’re running late for dinner and need to grab a last minute bottle yesterday, and just happen to be near a Total Wine: I’d have to recommend an old favorite, Ladera:
The Napa Cab is truly delicious. Worth every penny.
Ladera is estate grown and bottled with 14.2% alcohol. It’s 94% Cabernet Sauvignon combined with a small blend of added Malbec, Petite Verdot, & Syrah; all contributing to it’s diverse flavor, earthiness, & rich, full-body. Overall, it’s nicely balanced. It’s not too tart or tannic (won’t make your mouth pucker & feel dry), but it will make you want to keep swirling, sniffing, and sipping. It’s in the $30-$40 price range, but worth the splurge!
Hope everyone has a happy, wonderful Easter weekend! Cheers!
Bonus Info:
*Wines labeled “Cabernet Sauvignon” aren’t usually made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes (unless it states just that). For this particular bottle, California law states that wines using varietal names (varietal = type of grape used/Cabernet, Malbec, Chardonnay, etc.) must be at least 75% of that grape. So, Ladera is labeled as a Cabernet Sauvignon, but it has a very small percentage of other grapes, which is very common and adds complexity/balances the wine.
*Remember to serve your red wine at the proper temperature! Â *62-68 Degrees*
*”Room temperature” varies greatly from region to region (or from house to house, or even room to room!). Wines served too hot or cold will not taste like they’re intended to, and please, do not leave your wine in a hot car! It’ll have a heat stroke and may taste all flabby and lackluster when you open it!
*Notable mention/Runner up in the under $20 price range (also available at Total Wine) 2015 Shotfire Barossa Shiraz! It’s produced by Thorn-Clarke Wines & is super jammy, with ripe plum and chocolate. It’s also a screwcap (common with a lot of Australian wine), making it just as easy to open as it is to drink! This is a wine everyone will like.
*Check out Grape Chaser’s red wine dyed Easter eggs! I love it! Follow him on FB, Instagram & Twitter: @GrapeChasers.
Image borrowed directly from his Twitter post, which he mentions using boiling hot wine for better color results! Love the adult version of Easter egg dying!
