Planning your Easter lunch and wondering what cheese and wine to serve? Whether you’re going traditional with roast lamb or opting for a vegetarian centrepiece, the right cheese and wine can elevate your meal, and stretch your into a long, lazy afternoon of grazing - perfect for the long weekend
Here are some of our favourite cheese and wine pairings by Easter roast type, with a focus on British cheeses that sing of spring.
🐑 Roast Lamb
Pair with: Hard Sheep’s Cheese and a robust red wine
Try: Spenwood – A firm, nutty sheep’s milk cheese with rich, savoury notes
Roast lamb is rich and flavourful, often seasoned with rosemary and garlic. When pairing food with wine, you need something that matches the intensity of the dish - there's no point pairing a cucumber with a rioja, the wine will just overpower it.
That is why the richness of lamb and other red meats lend themselves well to pairing with strong cheeses and heavy red wines. In short: you need a cheese with backbone.
Ewe's milk cheeses are perfect for this, especially well aged ones, like Spenwood, Caís Na Tíre, and Corra Linn. Ewe's milk is very savoury, almost tasting like roast lamb itself. Spenwood - Anne Wigmore's take on a Pecorino from Sardinia - fits the bill beautifully. It has depth and savoury notes, but a touch of sweetness and floral notes that adds a complexity when pairing.
For a wine, a structured red will do the job nicely. A Rioja (but a superb one, like the López de Heredia Rioja Reserva 'Tondonia' 2011 widely regarded as one of the best Riojas you can find) has enough tannin and flavour to stand up to the lamb, as does a left bank Bordeaux red (like a Saint Julien or a Saint Emilion ) will stand you in good stead.
For something a bit more left field. You can pick up a Bordeaux-style red, like the J'NOON from India, or even a natural red: the Bungla Rouge Quatro Mustachios from England is a fantastic out-there choice.
🍗 Roast Chicken
Pair with: Soft Washed Rind Cheese and a creamy, lightly oaked Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc
Try: Durrus – A mellow, buttery cheese with a peachy-orange rind
Lighter meats like chicken are perfect with cheeses that bring creaminess and a bit of funk. Durrus, a washed rind cheese from Co. Cork in Ireland, melts beautifully on the tongue.
Butter is where it's all at when it comes to Chicken: butter chicken with buttery potatoes - it just makes your mouth water doesn't it? So it makes sense to find that same flavour profile in your pairing, which is what makes Durrus, or something like Ashcombe, such a good choice.
It's also why a white wine that's gone through malolactic conversion is a good choice. A South African Chenin Blanc is likely to have gone through malolactic (avoid Loire Chenin Blancs), Dorper - from Stellenbosch - is a beautiful option.
If you want to go with a Northern Hemisphere wine, you find lightly oaked Chardonnay in Burgundy (mostly Grand Cru wines, less likely from your supermarket Chablis), and we're starting to find them in the UK as well. Highweald do a delicious oaked chardonnay.
🌱 Nut Roast or Vegetarian Wellington
Pair with: Soft and earthy blues and medium-bodied reds like Pinot Noir
Try: Cote Hill Blue – A gentle, creamy blue
Vegetarian centrepieces often have nutty, earthy flavours - think mushrooms, lentils, chestnuts. Cote Hill Blue is soft and mellow with just the right hit of blue spice to complement those savoury elements.
On the wine front, red wine will do the trick, but be careful not to pick a heavy one. Stick with medium or light-bodied reds like Pinot Noir or Gamay for a fragrant, spring-ready match.
The 2015 Svetík Pinot Noir from Slovakia is still astounding, fragrant but not overwhelming, with a juicy body that will be magnificent with the dish. A Beaujolais would also fit wonderfully well.
Don’t Skip the Cheese Course
A cheeseboard is a lovely way to wind down a long Easter meal. Choose 3-5 cheeses, serve with fresh bread, some excellent chutney, and a splash more of whatever wine you’ve been enjoying.
Need help choosing the right cheeses? Visit us in-store for a tailored Easter pairing.