Holiday Wine Picks Part II: Ham

Holiday ham dinner, sliced ham with red wine on a table

Need help pairing wines for the holiday meal? In part II of our holiday wine pick series, we are showcasing wines selected for the beloved, often glazed and poked with cloves, ham. For those of you who just rather skip the ham and go with another holiday favorite, you are in luck, take a look at our Holiday Wine Guide for Turkey.

What Wines to Pair Ham

Ham is a traditional choice for many homes during the holidays, especially for Christmas and Easter. Ham is a bit trickier when it comes to paring wine, that is why the staff at We Spek Wine are here to help you out.

Since Ham is often prepared in a few different ways during the holidays, we have broken things down a bit more to help with the perfect paring.

Sweet/Glazed Hams:

Honey, pineapple or other citrus flavors are a very popular method of preparing the holiday ham. The sweet flavor of the glaze compliments the salty ham (mouth watering already?). This sweet/salty combination is often paired with sweet wines surprisingly. Moscatos and Gewurztraminer can go really well with Ham. Dry or slightly sweet whites like Dry Rieslings, Chenin Blanc or Pinot Gris will create a good balance with some contrast.

  • Moscato
  • Dry Rieslings
  • Gewurztraminer
  • Chenin Blanc
  • Pinot Gris

Savory or Smoked Ham:

Smoked or Baked holiday hams have bold smoked or salty flavors that can be wonderful, picking a wine that can effectively compliment them can be tricky. Pinot Noir and Syrah are one of our go to wine varietals to pair with a smoked or baked ham. Both can have bold flavor and earthy tones that mix well with the smoky salty flavor of the ham.

Rieslings are also a good choice for a smoked ham, as well as Viognier and Gewurztraminer. The sweetness of the wine complements the smoky and salty flavor of the ham.

  • Pinot Noir
  • Syrah
  • Semi or Sweet Rieslings
  • Viognier
  • Gewurztraminer

We Speak Wine - Wine Selections to Pair with Ham

Moscato Picks for Ham

Moscato - Shop all Moscatos

  • La Spinetta Moscato d'Asti Bricco Quaglia - Italy’s first single vineyard Moscato d’Asti! Try This Wine
  • Il Conte Stella Rosa Platinum Semi-Sweet - Stella Rosa Platinum is the new luxury edition that comes from vineyards in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. - Try This Wine


Rieslings Picks for Ham

Riesling - Shop all Riesling Wines

  • Glenora Wine Cellars Dry Riesling Finger Lakes - Crisp fruit flavors, one of the best Finger Lake Region's Rieslings. Try This Wine
  • Chateau Ste Michelle-Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling Columbia Valley - Robert Parker 91 Points and Wine Enthusiast 89 Points. - Try This Wine

Gewurztraminer Picks for Ham

Gewurztraminer - Shop all Gewurztraminer Wines

  • Hazlitt 1852 Gewurztraminer Finger Lakes - Rich fruit and spicy mouth, and a slight peppery finish. Try This Wine
  • Hugel et Fils Gewurztraminer Alsace - Hugel Gewurztraminer is a flagship wine for the Hugel family. - Try This Wine

Chenin Blanc Picks for Ham

Chenin Blanc - Shop all Chenin Blanc Wines

  • Barton & Guestier (B&G) Vouvray - Great nose of subtle white flowers mixed with white fuits A lovely and intense wine with floral notes, peach and pear flavours.Try This Wine

Pinot Gris Picks for Ham

Pinot Gris - Shop all Pinot Gris Wines

  • A to Z Pinot Gris Oregon - The 2013 A to Z Pinot Gris has lifted aromas of honeysuckle, lemon zest, nutmeg and wet stone developing into richer aromas...Try This Wine
  • Rainstorm Pinot Gris Willamette Valley - Crisp pear, melon and honey blossom, some yeasty character from sur lies aging.Try This Wine

Pinot Noir Picks for Ham

Pinot Noir - Shop all Pinot Noir Wines

  • Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - A brilliant, rich garnet color, it opens with lifted fruit aromas of ripe strawberry, plum and sweet Bing cherry, along with light cedar and spicy vanilla notes... - Try This Wine
  • Mark West Pinot Noir - A medium-bodied, fruity red that features scents of spice, dark fruit, and cassis, with notes of savory and smoky oak. - Try This Wine

Syrah Picks for Ham

Syrah - Shop all Syrah Wines

  • Fat Bastard, Vin de Pays d'Oc Syrah - A perfect match with smoked Gouda, baby-back ribs, and any dishes with a spicy kick! - Try This Wine
  • Charles Smith Wines Boom Boom! Syrah Columbia Valley - Complexity, tannins inferior to none. Blackberry, boysenberry, dry-hung meat, white pepper, savory herbs, crushed granite. - Try This Wine

Semi to Sweet Riesling Picks for Ham

Riesling - Shop all Riesling Wines

  • Leitz Riesling QbA Rudesheimer Drachenstein Dragonstone Rheingau - Amazingly elegant with a delicately spicy note. - Try This Wine
  • St. Urbans-Hof Riesling QbA Weingut - Brilliant fruit and Mosel-slate mineral flavors, lively acidity, and ripe floral aromas. Delicious on its own, or a perfect accompaniment to light or spicy dishes. - Try This Wine

Viognier Picks for Ham

Viognier - Shop all Gewurztraminer Wines

  • Estate Gerovassiliou Viognier Epanomi - Intense gold in the colour, it exhibits a fragrance of peaches, pears, and smoky accents to the finish. - Try This Wine

Gewurztraminer Picks for Ham

Viognier - Shop all Viognier Wines

  • Hazlitt 1852 Gewurztraminer Finger Lakes - rich fruit and spicy mouth, and a slight peppery finish. - Try This Wine

This concludes our Holiday Wine Parings for Ham, take a look below for our Previous Picks.


Previous Wine Selections for Ham

Colosi Nero D'Avola Sicilia 2013 750ML

olosi’s Nero d’Avola is a fresh, vinous offering loaded with perfumed red fruit. Dark ruby red, with intense fruit aromas, it pairs well with your holiday ham. (2013 Sold out)

Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Whole Cluster Willamette Valley 2013 750ML

Gentile tannins, and vibrant aromas of cherries and strawberries, this wine is a wonderful complement to the holiday dinner. (2013 Sold Out) Try the New Vintage

Leitz Riesling QbA Rudesheimer Drachenstein Dragonstone Rheingau 2014 750ML

tiny estate that creates extraordinarily aromatic, vigorous wines; and Johannes Leitz, a vintner who grows more commanding each vintage. The Dragonstone is named for the vineyard in which the fruit is grown. This is a single-vineyard Riespng from a perfectly steep, southern-facing slope in the Rheingau. Delicious! - Winery - Buy Now

Domane Wachau Gruner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen 2013 750ML

ale green. Apple and a hint of apricot over subtle leafy notes on the nose, along with mineral and tobacco nuances. Juicy in the mouth, with refreshing white pear and apple flavors carried by lively acidity. A flavor of pear pngers on the finish of this versatile wine. (2013 Sold Out) Try the New Vintage

Wine Enthusiast 89 Points
Wine Spectator 89 Points

Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough 2012 750ML

his Pinot Noir has a lovely nose with plum, aromatic spice and red florals. This wine pairs well with a glazed ham, the sugary savory taste mixes well with the palate to delight the senses. - Buy Now

Robert Parker 89 Points
Steven Tanzer 88 Points
Wine Spectator 90 Points

Jaboulet Cotes du Rhone Parallel 45 2011 750ML

A blend of Grenache and Syrah, it is a fresh, medium bodied red, with notes of black fruit and exotic spices. Stephen Tanzer rates this wine at 87 Points. Bring a few bottles to the dinner table, a great buy at only $12! (2011 Sold Out) - Try the New Vintage

Stephen Tanzer 87 Points

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