The riddle of Easter wines: Should I play it safe, or go against the grain?


Easter may probably be one of the most loved periods of the Greeks, at least in relation to food: traditional dishes that we are all looking forward to all year round, which, in relation to wine, have particularities and require affection and care!


Let's see the options on what suits better to be served with these delicacies:


First things fisrt, let us begin with the basics.


Magiritsa is a fatty soup, with many aromatics, "thick" with a rich body, even in its vegan version with mushrooms. Three characteristics that look for a corresponding profile in the glass as well.

Similarly lambs have a heavy fat load, and a rich full tatse that calls for wine  with high acidity to balance, and of course well-crafted tannins to marry the  protein.

We are here to suggest you the best combinations from the Greek vineyard, both with classic matching pairings and with some completely unconventional ones!


We start with the evening of the Resurrection, where Magiritsa and eggs have  their place of honor. If you want to play it safe, a classic Sauvignon Blanc that as a variety has both the acidity and the slight "green" character that the herbs in the soup want is a good choice, such as the Hetero Wines Monarch White made by the  talented Gipsy Winemakers Maria Tamiolaki and Dimitris Mansolas.


Alternatively, if you are a fan of wines with good but not "electric" acidity but  more body and "thick" character, choose a Cretan vidiano, from a benchmark label of the variety produced for years by Diamantaki Winery with  Diamantopetra.


Finally, a more "out of bounds choice", is a sparkling with high acidity, like the  brand new Manousakis X Karanika The Illustrious Hartman - Molavi Extra  Brut, a product of the coexistence of two great producers, which will wash away the greasiness of the dish with typical ease.


Tip: Make sure the soup is lukewarm and the wine not too cold, to bring the two closer, and not to shock your palate. 


Now let's go to the next day: 


Easter Sunday, and the treats while the lamb is being roasted, have their due.


Greek cheeses, some egg, ntolmadakia, etc. Time for a Moschofilero to shine,  a rose-colored wine who will accompany them with ease. The Moropoulos winery label is one of our traditional options. 

Midday slowly arrives, with kontosouvli, kokoretsi and of course the traditional  lamb. There are two major schools of thought here, one that prefers white wines and one that prefers red wines as irreplaceable.


If you prefer the first school ,then the options are truly many.


The most classic is of course a Santorini, which with its acidity and thickness  will cut through the fat of the food like a Samurai sword! Try something different this year, like the Nykteri of Winery Venetsanos and remember once again why the island and this gifted variety are capable of great wines!


Do you want to explore this unique grape outside of Santorini? Then choose Lyrarakis proposal from the Cretan vineyard of barren Sitia. We shall stay south in Crete, where we meet the hidden gem of the local vineyard, Thrapsathiri, which has similar characteristics, and goes very well with the meat. The "White Ocean" of Idaia will not leave anyone unmoved. In case you are aiming to amaze the crowds, choose a wonderful wine that goes hand in hand with the lamb aromatically and stylistically: The Wild Mountaineer Savvatiano from Viotia, which comes from 80-year-old vines, and

the hand of a veteran in the variety oenologist. Extra benefit, the relatively low alcohol, which helps in the long battle! (if you are wondering why old vines matter, see the quality factors of a wine here).

Finally, an out-of-the-box option, which will pair wonderfully with oven-roasted lamb, especially if you have flavored it with rosemary, is a sparkling new age quality retsina, such as that of Vryniotis Winery from Gialtra in Evia.


Go for it, and you will thank us later!


Are you a fan of reds? Classics like the king of blacks in Greece ,Xinomavro, or alternatively with something more eccentric ones:


Start with one of the best examples of the variety, produced only in exceptional years, the Legacy of Boutaris Winery. All the well-known and irreplaceable characteristics are here, such as the sharp acidity, the many but  well-made tannins and of course the unique aromatic profile which is its great asset.


Alternatively, and with the addition of a small amount of Negoska, Xinomavro also excels further west in Goumenissa of Kilkis. There the Chatzivaritis Estate has associated its name with the region and produces one of the most value  for money wines that one can choose.


An international choice would be a one way street, Syrah, since it fits the  basic characteristics we are looking for, but it is also perhaps the international  variety that has most adapted "glove" to our country.


We will recommend you two labels: Choose either a more elegant version of  Muses Estate Syrah with a solid aromatic profile and peppery character, or the more outgoing and concentrated version from the international vineyard and distant New Zealand in the Blank Canvas Syrah. 


Finally, to accompany a blue cheese, or even on its own, don't forget to put  on the table one of the top world-class sweet wines from Greece: Mavrodaphne, Moschato, Vinsanto of Santorini are good choices. If you have to choose just one, give Parparousis multi-award-winning Muscat a chance, which will provide the perfect finish.


Happy Easter! Kali Anastasi!

Stavros Moustakas Oktapodas DipWSET


About the Editor:

Stavros Moustakas-Oktapodas DipWSET has worked as a wine consultant for a large Greek import company and in addition, in strategic and communication positions for Greek wineries.

He holds the WSET Diploma, which he completed with honors, with two international scholarships (best overall performance and best performance in the blind taste exams for the academic years 2016 and 2017).

He has been a judge at the Thessaloniki International Wine Competition, the largest European competition Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and he is Oinochoos magazine columnist.