Need Easter Wine Tips? 5 Chicago Somms Offer Suggestions

Forbes

16-04-2025

Looking for an Easter wine to serve or share? These experts from Chicago's dining scene—long celebrated for its drinks and culinary innovation and excellence—have it covered. Hear from the city's distinguished sommeliers and beverage directors, who bring exceptional wine knowledge and thoughtful pairing expertise to the Easter table.
From Michelin-starred establishments to beloved neighborhood spots, Chicago's wine professionals are renowned for their ability to discover remarkable bottles and create memorable, friendly dining experiences. Pro guidance is particularly valuable during holiday seasons when hosts and guests alike seek to elevate gatherings with the perfect wine selections.
Discover expert insights from Chicago's leading sommeliers on selecting the ideal wines to complement your Easter feast.
Kyle Davidson, beverage director at Rose Mary and il Carciofo, suggests starting Easter celebrations with sparkling wine. "At il Carciofo, we recommend Franciacorta—an Italian sparkling wine crafted using the same grapes and techniques as champagne," he notes. This versatile choice can be enjoyed on its own or softened with freshly squeezed juice for brunch pairings. Davidson's recommended bottle is Ricci Curbastro Extra Brut.
Davidson offers thoughtful guidance for the whole of the Easter meal. "As the meal progresses and richer dishes are served, transition to a light, vibrant red," he advises. "Served slightly chilled, this wine effortlessly bridges the gap between canapés—such as deviled eggs—and proteins like poultry, ham, or lamb." To fit this bill, he suggests M. & C. Lapierre Morgon 2022 for a Beaujolais or Alois Lageder Schiava 2023 from Italy's stunning Alto Adige region.
For a table set with bolder reds, Davidson recommends a Super Tuscan—a blend of Sangiovese and Bordeaux varietals, which he says "offers the depth of dark fruit and tannins associated with Bordeaux grapes, balanced by Sangiovese's bright acidity, red fruit and herbal undertones." Antinori 'Tignanello' Sangiovese 2021—a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc—is one of the classic and coveted Super Tuscans, and it's on the menu at il Carciofo.
For brunch occasions, Scott Stroemer, beverage director at Galit and Cafe Yaya, endorses a sparkling option from an unexpected region: Keush, 'Ultra' Blanc de Noir Brut Nature from Vayots Dzor in Armenia. 'It comes from the most interesting winemaker I know, Vahe Keushguerian,' he adds. Stroemer says this is his favorite sparkling wine from the Middle East, describing it as "dry as a bone, with a nose of wildflowers, tart green strawberry and green apple on the palate." He suggests that this bottle pairs wonderfully with seafood and fried foods.
For a bright and structured California red, Stroemer suggests Terah Wine Co. Sangiovese Mokelumne River 2023 for heavier Easter meats like lamb, roast poultry and ham. 'Sangiovese in California has a quirky history as of recently, with a young generation of California winemakers who are embracing the California-ness of California Sangiovese,' says Stroemer. He praises this bottle as one of his favorites, offering "delicate, pretty red fruit, great acid and soft tannic backbone."
Chicago wine pros share their expertise to help you create a memorable Easter experience, blending tradition with the sophistication of perfectly matched wines.
Jake Bennie, wine director at Sepia, recommends white wines to pair with seasonal ingredients transitioning from winter to spring. For a winter citrus salad with endive, he suggests whites made from thick-skinned grapes that offer both bitterness and acidity. The first bottle he goes to is Eido da Salgosa Albariño 2022 from the vibrant Rías Baixas region. He says it is highly aromatic with elevated acidity and "a touch of salinity coming from the coast of northwest Spain, showing a lot of citrus fruit like tangerine, orange blossom, grapefruit and lime."
Bennie also suggests Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko 2022 from Santorini, Greece. This bottle is packed with "powerful minerality" with "beautiful lemon zest, fresh apricot, ginger, radish and pronounced acidity," according to Bennie.
Spring marks a perfect time for rosé wines. Bennie recommends Domaine du Gros Noré Rosé 2023 from Bandol in Provence, calling it a "dynamite pairing" with spring crudité. 'Honoré Pascal used to give the family's fruit to other powerhouse producers in the area like Domaine Ott and Château de Pibarnon and only made wine for the family until his son Alain took over in 1997 and created Domaine du Gros Noré,' shares Bennie. He says this rosé, made primarily from Mourvèdre with Cinsault, Grenache and Clairette, "shows tart berry fruit, fleshy stone fruits and wild herbs that pair wonderfully with spring vegetables.'
Louis Fabbrini, sommelier at Smyth + The Loyalist, provides several thoughtful pairings for traditional Easter main courses. For classic ham with brown sugar glaze, Fabbrini suggests Domaine de Bichery 'Les Fontaines' NV, made by Raphaël and Hannah Piconnet who farm six parcels slopes above Neuville-sur-Seine, vines originally planted by Raphaël's grandfather. This is a beautiful rosé Champagne, which Fabbrini deliciously describes as bursting with "bright acidity and sappy red fruit [that] play off the ham's brown-sugar glaze, complicating and expanding its sweetness, pulling forward flavors like wildflower honey and orange peel."
For roast lamb with herbs, Fabbrini offers two options. The first is Chavost Coteaux Champenois Rouge 2022, a still wine from Champagne blending Pinot Noir with Pinot Meunier. This bottle delivers "spice, twitchy acidity and subtle herbal quality that complement the lamb's savory depth, peppery crust and gentle gaminess,' says Fabbrini. He offers a bit of the wine's backstory: 'Fabian Daviaux convinced a cautious Champagne co-op in Chavot-Courcourt to farm organically, nudging tradition forward and championing wines made without sulfur or additives.'
He also suggests Hiyu Wine Farm 'Columba' 2022 from Hood River Valley, Oregon, a field blend mostly of Tempranillo with other Spanish and Portuguese varieties. 'China Tresemer and Nate Ready practice regenerative agriculture on their mixed farm in Oregon's Hood River Valley, cultivating vines alongside livestock, orchards, and gardens,' says Fabbrini. The somm describes this as an intriguing wine "caught between a lightly extracted red and a deeply structured rosé" with "savory depth and earthy complexity [that] echo the lamb's gaminess and herbal crust."
Ted Rink, sommelier at BLVD Steakhouse, believes that Pinot Noir can beautifully complement Easter dinner. He notes that "Pinot Noir can straddle a line with lighter elements and deeper, more complex flavors." He suggests that the fresh herbal profile of Pinot Noir are a solid reminder of warmer spring weather ahead as things start to take off in the garden.
His recommendations include Whitcraft Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2022 and Brewer-Clifton Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2023, which he describes as "even a touch snappier" out of the two Easter wine recommendations.