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Wine Time

Wine of the Week: Easter Wines

Easter is only a few days away. We know observant Catholics cannot wait to re-indulge in what they sacrificed for Lent, whether it's dessert, alcohol or Facebook. Easter can't come fast enough for some. And since they're probably not thinking straight with all the sacrificing, we've taken the guesswork out of choosing an Easter wine.

Ham is a traditional choice for Easter feasts, so we found two wines (one red and one white) to pair with your celebratory meal. Our wine gurus suggested a white we had for Christmas, Bodegas Botani Moscatel Seco Sierras de Malaga 2008. "The Botani has no oaky, buttery quality, so it's great with ham," he told us. He assured us it would pair well with both traditional and honey-baked ham. We fondly remember this citrusy, crisp wine as deliciously dry with hints of green apple and white peach.

If white wine is not your cup of tea, our wine gurus also suggested a more expensive French Pinot Noir, Jacques Puffeney Arbois Rouge Pinot Noir 2006. This red will run a little more than $30, about twice the Botani. According to our wine gurus, though, it's worth it, and it is a celebratory feast after all. "The Puffeney is subtle and forces you to pay attention," he explained. "It's like they put a teaspoon of Campari with a Musigny." He went on to tell us how each sip of wine makes you want to take a bite of food. The cycle continues until the bottle is empty. Sounds like Easter could be a wild celebration.

So, while you dream about your first bite of chocolate cake after 40 days, don't forget to pick up the wine to toast to the end of sacrifices. Happy Easter!

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Jane Catherine Collins