Some years it helps to offer a selection of wines to write about for Easter because of the variety and complexity of the foods offered during this holiday weekend.
This year I’ve decided to focus on only one wine and one main course for Easter dinner. It’s no secret that I love bold red wines from the France, particularly from the Southern regions. Such a wine is Chateau de La Clapiere 2011 Provence Rouge Violette. This delicious yet reasonably priced red blend is comprised of 50% Syrah, 35% Grenache and 15% Carignan. Malolactic fermentation and aging for 12 months in concrete tanks helps to give this wine a distinct long lasting richness and smooth tannins. The color is a deep ruby and there is a strong aroma of cherry and red raspberry preserves with highlights of honey, licorice and other spices. The Provence Rouge is full bodied, round and delightfully rich tasting.
The wine is named after producer M.Henri Fabre’s great-grandmother who as a child in 1892, is said to have given Queen Victoria a bouquet of violets when the British monarch was visiting the Mediterrannean Coast. Coincidently, the little girl’s name was also Victoria.
With its rich fruit and spicy flavors, the Chateau de La Clapiere 2011 Provence Rouge Violette is a perfect wine to pair with leg of lamb for Easter dinner. The flavors will harmonize beautifully rather than compete for supremacy in a tasty yet powerful culinary experience.