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Easter Sunday is right around the corner. For those of you celebrating the holiday, it’s time to start thinking about what wines you’re going to sip. Easter is a big holiday in my house. Every year my mother and I wake up early, go to Easter Sunday Mass, and then head home where I proceed to make brunch and we open Easter baskets; actually my mom hides them somewhere in the house, and yes, even at my age she still makes my sister and I search for them!

Luckily after all that searching, we work up quite a thirst, and I always have wine handy. This year I compiled quite a “must sip” list for everyone. No matter what you’re cooking, pairing, or the palate preferences are at the table, there is a wine someone will love! Pair any of these wines too with some of my favorite chocolate: Baci Perugina!

Sparklers

Lieb Cellars Blanc de Blanc Reserve 2011: From the North Fork of Long Island, this beautiful bubbly is made using the Traditional Method and spends 48 months on the lees. It’s unique because it’s made from pinot blanc and boasts delicate bubbles, pear, and citrus notes. This wine is a brut Blanc de Blanc at 13.2% ALC and makes a great aperitif for Easter Sunday!

Ruca Malen Brut: Produced in the “Método Tradicional” or the Traditional Champenoise Method, this brut bubbly is absolutely gorgeous. The wine is made from a blend of hand harvested grapes from select mountains in Mendoza’s Uco Valley. It’s 75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay and spends over 12 months on the lees. This results in a creamy mouthfeel and long finish that should be enjoyed with the ones you love on Easter Sunday!

Concerto Reggiano Lambrusco 2015: Medici Ermete’s flagship wine. Concerto is the world’s first single vineyard vintage Lambrusco. This dry, red sparkler is lively with bubbles achieved through natural fermentation. Lambrusco is a fun wine to have out on the table on Easter, and is great for those who enjoy something fruity as well as sparkling! $22.99

I Quercioli Secco Reggiano Lambrusco, NV: Bright ruby red in color with violet aromas and dry yet fruity flavors. This wine has a playful effervescence and is great to have out on Easter with the appetizers. $13.99

Ferrari Brut Rosé: This beautiful bubbly from Veneto, Italy is salmon pink in color with a distinct and very elegant bouquet. The nose is fresh with aromas of flowers, red currants and wild strawberries. The taste is Dry, clean and elegant, with a delicate finish and persistent bubbles. This is a fun one paired with some chocolate or almond lace cookies! $36.00

Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Brut 2008: This wine marks the house’s 72nd vintage wine since the first release in 1842, and represents Chief Winemaker Benoit Gouez’s personal interpretation of this vintage year. This beauty makes a great gift if you’re being hosted at someone’s house for Easter Sunday. This wine expresses maturity, floral aromas, as well as some honeysuckle and citrus. Pair this with something truffle flavored like truffle topped deviled eggs, or popcorn for some unique and flavorful food and wine pairings. $64.99

Rosés

Bridge Lane Cellars Rosé 2015: Cabernet Franc based and made in a dry style, this NY rosé will wow you with guava, watermelon, and strawberry notes. Welcome spring into your home with this wine, which is cheerful and fun. Sip this while the kids search for their Easter eggs, or enjoy it with family and friends. Whether you’re hosting the gathering or going to one, this is a great wine to give (and receive). $18.00

Locations French Rosé: Dave Phinney has done it again with another stellar wine! Locations wines are always on my “must sip” list because they are absolutely delicious, quality driven, and incredible prices. This French rosé is 100% Grenache from 50 year old dry farmed vines. From the South of France, this rosé will win your heart this Easter Sunday! $22.99

VieVité Provence Rosé: Made from 30% Cinsault, 30% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Carignan, this elegant Provence rosé is so refreshing. It drinks like “summer water” and is perfect for entertaining outside. For Easter, pair this with appetizers and have a lovely spring day with the ones you love; when you’re finished… the bottle is perfect as a flower vase! $19.99

Feudo Maccari Rosé IGP 2016Nero d’Avola vines are what makes this wine so signature. This is an outstanding expression of the grape varietal. The wine is cherry colored with an explosion of floral and fruit aromas of ripe pears and cherries. It’s fresh and juicy on the palate, with light tannins and elegance; truly a wonderful Easter wine. $15.99

Noble Vines 515 Rosé: This rosé recently won my heart with it’s fruit driven flavors and full ripe strawberry aromas. On the palate this wine is flirty, fun, and dry with refreshing floral, strawberry, and raspberry notes. I also found as a pleasant surprise, some watermelon Jolly Rancher notes that really made me happy and excited with this wine. This wine is the perfect pairing in an Easter basket and with the baked ham! $15.00

Planeta Rosè: Sicily’s signature native grape Nero d’Avola, cultivated on white, chalky soils near Noto, makes up 50% of blend, providing delicate dried flowers, berry fruits and an undeniable Sicilian character. The balance comes from Syrah, adding notes of wild strawberry and a touch of spiciness. $15.99

Bertani Bertarose: Created by one of the Veneto’s most iconic Amarone producers, Bertarose is a unique blend of 75% Molinara and 25% Merlot. Bertani discovered that the delicate character of the Molinara grape, traditionally used in the production of Amarone, was well-suited to rosè. Flavors of cherry and strawberry intermingle with Molinara’s soft floral notes, rounded out by the addition of Merlot. $14.99

Whites

Don Olegario Albariño 2015: Pronounced “Alvarinho,” this wine is 100 percent Albariño grapes and is a light and elegant varietal with great acidity. The grapes are beautifully aromatic, with white pear, apple and floral undertones. It is late ripening grape that grows in moderately cool to warm climates.  The Bodega Don Olegario Albariño is medium-bodied that shows opulent, powerful aromas and flavors of citrus and flowers, with tropical notes. $19.99

La Mora Vermentino 2014: This wine is predominantly vermentino and is expressive of the terroir in Tuscany. It has all the gracefulness that vermentino vines give to a wine, with some pleasant minerality, finesse, and refreshing notes. It’s bright with plenty of acidity and pairs beautifully with traditional Easter dinners and sides. $19.99

Forever Young Sauvignon Blanc 2011: This wine is estate grown in Central Valley, Chile and is a delightful wine that is crisp and refreshing. While wonderful on its own, the grapefruit and citrus flavors in the nose and on the palate work well with many foods. This wine is bright and crisp with round acidity and a long finish. $19.00

Maison Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages 2015: This classic expression of a Chardonnay from Burgundy is produced from the famous Maison Louis Jadot. This wine embodies traditional style and quality. The wine shows bright white flower, apple and citrus aromas that are attractive and elegant. Plenty of fruit on the palate is what makes this wine palate and food friendly with nice mineral tones. $14.99

Sterling Vineyards Chardonnay 2015: This wine offers fragrant aromas of fresh lemon, citrus, crisp apple and toasted hazelnut, with a finely-textured palate of stone fruit, honey, and almond. This Napa Valley Chardonnay is fermented in stainless steel, French and America Oak, allowing the wine to develop creaminess while still maintaining a nice balanced acidity and freshness. This wine is beautiful for Easter dinner and can be enjoyed with the heartier dishes. $19.99

Reds

Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel Mendocino County 2014: This wine is a medium-bodied, ripe Zin with vibrant cherry and cassis notes. Layered with aromas and flavors of toasty oak with spicy clove and cardamom, which balance the wine. Pair this with a beautiful Easter lamb and some hearty sides. $18.00

Beaulieu Vineyard Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2014: This wine expresses notes of blackberry, caramel, mocha, and sweet oak spice aromas. The tannins are dense with a powerful mouthfeel. At 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is rounded out by a small percentage of additional Bordeaux varietals to ensure a rich and classic Napa Valley taste, for which BV has been known for decades. This wine will pair beautifully with dinner as well as with spicy or chocolate driven desserts; chili infused chocolate covered strawberries anyone? $44

Beaulieu Vineyards Reserve Tapestry 2013: This bold and beautiful red offers powerful aromas and flavors of blackberry, plum, and floral notes with a bold structure. This reserve bottling blends handpicked grapes from BV’s premier estates in Rutherford, Carneros and the Napa Valley into Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. Aged in 50% new oak barrels, the resulting blend has an impressive depth and varietal expression with toffee and spice nuances. This wine makes an excellent gift to give to the host or hostess, and can be consumed now… however will also age beautifully. $65

Happy Easter to all! Please pair responsibly!