Natural Wine for the Easter Table

There is a moment at the Easter cabin that I rank above most things: the first glass poured while the ski gear is still dripping in the hallway, the sun hits the table, and someone unpacks the groceries from the cooler bag. That moment deserves a bottle with character – not an anonymous budget wine, but not something that requires a wine-academy course to enjoy either.

This is where natural wine comes in. And more specifically: the sparkling, fresh, slightly unruly kind that in recent years has made the leap from the hipster bar in Berlin to the cabin fridge in Gudbrandsdalen.

Natural wine is not one thing. It is rather a spectrum of wines made with minimal intervention – little or no added sulphur, spontaneous fermentation with wild yeast, and often unfiltered. That means the wines can be a little hazy, a little unpredictable, and full of what I like to call living flavour. Some bottles smell a bit of cider, others of orange peel and herbs. Some tingle lightly on the tongue like a good mineral water. And some are so fresh that they do the job Champagne would have cost you twice as much for.

For the Easter table – which offers everything from salty and smoked fish to lamb, Jarlsberg, and scrambled eggs – you actually need exactly that flexibility.

It is the sparkling natural wines that truly steal the show during Easter week. Here the Lambrusco family from Emilia-Romagna in Italy is the obvious starting point – and the nuance matters: there is a big difference between an industrial, sugar-sweet Lambrusco and the more exciting, dry and natural style from producers who take their grapes seriously.

Camillo Donati Lambrusco dell'Emilia 2024 is exactly that type. Camillo Donati is one of Emilia's most respected natural wine producers – here they work with spontaneous fermentation, without filtration and with very little added sulphur. The result is a wine that sparkles and bubbles lively in the glass, is deeply ruby red, and tastes of fresh cherries, a little wild yeast, and a hint of herbs. It is dry, it is alive, and it is made for food. With lamb it is a natural choice – especially if the lamb is grilled or has picked up a little smokiness.

Paltrinieri Radice Lambrusco di Sorbara 2024 represents the lighter, more delicate side of the Lambrusco world. The Sorbara grape actually yields a lighter, more transparent red wine – almost like a heavy rosé – with a pronounced cherry and violet aroma, and a tart, mineral finish that makes it one of Italy's most underrated food companions. With egg dishes and cheese – which are, in a nutshell, the Easter table – this is close to perfect. Light, sparkling, and with enough acidity to cut through the fattiest slices of Jarlsberg.

If you want to explore a little more, Paltrinieri Leclisse Lambrusco di Sorbara 2024 is an interesting upgrade. Leclisse is produced from older vines and gets a little longer aging on the lees, which gives more complexity and depth. Here you get the same elegant Sorbara profile, but with more structure and an almost creamy texture that balances the lively acidity. Think strawberry, rose, and a lightly spiced undertone. This is a wine that can actually stand up to smoked salmon – the fat in the fish and the smoky intensity find a balance in the wine's freshness and light tannins that you simply do not get with a standard Chardonnay.

Lammidia Paparazza is another bottle worth putting in the cooler bag. Lammidia is based in Abruzzo in Italy – a region that in recent years has become the natural wine enthusiast's secret favourite. Paparazza is a sparkling wine with a fresh, almost floral profile, and the production is based on traditional methods without unnecessary additives. Think pear blossom, fresh lemon, and a slight yeasty undertone – and bubbles that are light and natural rather than aggressive. It is a perfect aperitif choice before the Easter lamb arrives at the table.

For those of you who are new to natural wine, there are some simple steps that make the experience better:

1. Chill, but not too much. Sparkling natural wines are happiest around 10–12 degrees. Too cold, and you lose the aromas. Too warm, and the bubbles go flat.

2. Let the bottle stand upright. Unfiltered wines often have a sediment. That is not a flaw – it is a sign that this is living wine – but you can choose whether you want it with or without.

3. Expect variation between vintages. A natural wine from 2024 can taste quite different from the one from 2023. That is part of the soul, not a flaw.

4. Match with salt and fat. Smoked salmon, charcuterie, cheese, eggs – natural wine's acidity and lightly sparkling texture love all of this.

5. Share the bottle quickly. Natural wines without sulphur are more sensitive to oxygen. Open, pour, enjoy. These are not wines that benefit from sitting open for hours.

The Easter table at the cabin does not have to be a dull exercise in playing it safe – and natural wine is no longer reserved for the initiated. It is a drink with soul, with history, and with an earthiness that fits exactly where you are: surrounded by mountains, sunshine, and people you care about.

Bring one bottle you know. And one you don't. That is how the best Easter memories are made.