Wines to go with your Easter lamb

With a gale howling outside, and the county still under water, it's hard to believe, looking at the sodden landscape, that Spring will ever arrive, bringing with it long awaited warmer, sunnier weather.

At this time of year the joy of seeing young spring lambs gambolling in nearby fields makes me question my own ethics, but lamb is my favourite meat and I find it impossible to resist both it’s mouth watering aroma, and its diversity in the kitchen.

Easter is one of only a few occasions during the year when families seem to make the effort to get together, warranting that bit of extra effort. So for many of us, it just has to be roast lamb; if we can still afford it.

The tender, sweet and succulent flavour of young spring lamb, marries well with wines full of juicy red berry flavours. However, do remember that how the lamb is prepared and cooked will alter the specific wine needed for a good match.

Ever the optimist, here are some suggestions to put a spring in your step over the Easter holidays.

Roast spring lamb has a delicate flavour, and if red is your preference then go for a light bodied, young fruity red, a Beaujolais cru or a classic Burgundy perhaps, with bright cherry, mineral, and spice.

To go with a juicy roast, redolent with rosemary and garlic. Cabernet's minty/herbal character goes well with the grassiness of lamb; whilst Zinfandel stands up well to garlic.

Pinot Noir works well, especially if the lamb is not too lean or overcooked, or an unoaked Tempranillo, with a bright, fruity character.

I prefer the flavour of shoulder to leg (unless roasted to a succulent rare pink, on an open spit!) but it can be fatty and struggles to stand up to the bolder wines that go well with beef, clashing with the tannins, giving an unpleasant astringent taste.

So, if you go for a "big” red, it should be sufficiently barrel-aged and mature for the tannins to have mellowed, such as a Pauillac or St. Emillion . From Spain, you can't go far wrong with a Ribera del Duero.

Lamb that is cooked medium to well done will work better with a younger, more fruit-driven wine, such as a young red Bordeaux, a Rioja reserva, or a Chianti Classico, which can possess an earthiness that flatters lamb’s meaty complexity.

I'm always looking for the opportunity to plug my favourite tipple. So, if you plan to serve a dry vintage rosé champagne with your lamb, I'd be a very happy girl, and willing to accept an invite.

If white is your preference, lamb will go well with a full bodied oak aged white bordeaux, or a lightly oaked chardonnay, but steer clear of New World offerings, as these wines tend to go a bit overboard with the oak.

Not all of us are wine drinkers, so a strong Trappist beer (Orval, Chimay Rouge), or an ale such as 'Duchesse de Bourgogne' should please beer lovers.

By the time you get to pud, which may well be chocolate based and difficult to pair with wine, try the sweet red vin doux naturel, Maury, from the South of France.

For something lemony, like a tart, a late harvest riesling has the acidity to cope with the sharp tartness, and Asti is always popular, adding a festive touch.

Fleurie, Domaine Julien Sunier, Beaujolais Cru, France, 12.5%, 2011, £19.50 Medium bodied and very elegant, with lovely peppery notes on the nose, A perfect balance of fruit and acidity, with good persistence.

Vosne-Romanée, Domaine d'Eugénie, Burgundy, France, 13%, 2007, £52 This lovely fruity Pinot Noir with its gamey, earthy character, is ready for drinking. A wine with finesse.

Villa Maria - Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir , New Zealand, 14%, 2007, £21.90 Stylish, with a seductive perfume of red fruit and cherry. Powerful on the palate, but well balanced.

Berrys' Pauillac, Ch. Lynch Bages, Bordeaux, France, 13%, 2010, £20 Dominant blackcurrant and mint on the nose and ripe fruits on the palate. Rich and powerful, yet restrained and elegant. with a long finish.

Château Bellevue , St Emilion, Bordeaux, France, 14.5%, 2008, £40

98% Merlot, with a rich, generous nose and luscious, spicy fruit on the palate. A solid structure, yet refined.

Avaniel, Bodegas Monteabellón, Ribera del Duero, Spain, 14%, 2012, £11 Made from young Tempranillo vines, giving a fresh bold fruit character. Medium-bodied, without tannins, giving a smooth wine.

Antinori Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva, Italy, 13.5%, 2009, £16 Made from 90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet. Fragrant and fresh, with notes of exotic fruit and a hints of liquorice. Supple, round, and soft in texture.

Chassagne-Montrachet, Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy, France, 13%, 2010, £40 Chardonnay with real concentration on the palate and citric notes. Well constructed with good body, length and depth.

Chateau Brown Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, 13%, 2010, £32 Beautifully aromatic, twith a nutty richness, smoky hazelnut notes and good acidity.

Chateau Saint Roch, Maury Rouge, France, 16%, 2011, £11 (50cl.)

100% grenache. Lovely and silky, with flavours of baked fruits, prune and cinnamon. Round on the palate, with a touch of acidity to prevent cloying.

Cloudy Bay Late Harvest Riesling, Marlborough, New Zealand, 10.5%, 2007, £22.50 (37.5cl) Indulgent, rich and aromatic; aromas of honey, nougat, and orange blossom. Luscious ripe fig and apricot, with a long finish.

Orval , Belgium, 6.2% £2.69 Limited supply, intensely aromatic, dry character, with a pronounced hoppy aroma.

Chimay Rouge, Belgium, 7%, £2.29 Unpasteurised, with a light, fruity apricot aroma. Silky on the tongue, with refreshing bitterness.

Duchesse de Bourgogne, Belgium, 6.2%, £2.79 A blend of 8 and 18 months old ales, following maturation in oak casks. Unpasteurized.

Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé, Champagne, France, 12.5%, 2004, £240 Extraordinary Pinot Noir dominant,. Strawberry, pink grapefruit, and peppery, cinnamon notes. Exceptional smoothness and complexity.