Anyone out there had a particularly good wine pairing (red or white) with a spiral-cut ham? Would appreciate any suggestions!
Spiral cut with honey-brown sugar glaze (honeybaked ham), or spiral cut and salt-cured?
If the former, Reisling has worked for me (although whether “particularly good” is YMMV) - the sweetness and acidity complements the salt and sugar IMO.
If you want a red, something light and relatively fruity – a lighter New World pinot. Or a Lambrusco if you’re feeling adventurous.
But, as Andrew says, the amount of sugar may affect your choice.
Spiral Red from TJ’s? http://www.cheapwinefinder.com/18284/spiral-wines-california-red-2011/
I usually think Riesling
If its Spiral cut then match it with a screw cap, of course.
Agree…off dry Riesling go very well with salty sweet pork…
Kinda like paring Prosciutto with melon.
Open whatever you and your guests feel like. Seriously. Don’t overthink pairing, just drink what you’re in the mood for.
A nice Rose of course - dryness levels according to your quest’s tolerance -
If that doesn’t work - Riesling of course; Halbtrocken or a Kabinett - NOT Trocken.
riesling is also my suggestion. I’ve done ok with gewurztraminer as well.
Riesling. Determine the right type of Riesling based on the prep of the spiral cut ham.
Big +1 on that. It looks like you may be new to WB – if you aren’t, almost every thread about “what wine to pair with this food” ends up in the same place: serve exotic white varietals, serve rose, serve sparkling wine, or drink beer. Maaaaybe Beaujolais if you’re feeling crazy.
But assuming this isn’t a wine geek tasting dinner, and further assuming your company isn’t drawn from Roberto’s West LA social circle, I’d say serve your company wines that they like. Pretty much any wine will go with ham well enough. If they like California pinot, they’ll enjoy a ham and pinot pairing a lot more than they’ll enjoy some wine they don’t like but that technically is a better match. I’ve made that mistake, ending up Thanksgiving dinner with a table strewn with 3/4 full bottles of obscure Greek whites and Spanish roses that nobody drank. Now I serve good chardonnay, pinot and zin and everyone loves them.
I don’t mean serve them bad wine, or wine you don’t like. But serve them wines that they’ll like too, and make that more of a priority than the perfect match.
This is the best advice I think. I also find it a bit funny that people are always like “Just drink whatever…” If he wanted that advice he wouldn’t have asked. There are wrong ways to go here.
Another good suggestion is Chenin blanc.
I don’t care for Riesling. A nice Chateauneuf du Pape would be what I would serve. Or a lighter bodied Zin. Some of Carlisle’s 2011s come to mind.
You don’t care for Riesling as a variety or as a potentially appropriate match?
Cannot really think of anything (other than Bordeaux varieties) that sounds like it would clash more than CNdP. I love Chateauneuf, just not with this food.
If you have to go with a red wine - a Cru Beaujolais would be nice as well, and usually pleases the masses (and people who are not big wine drinkers) -
AND - I agree - Chateauneuf-du-Pape would be one of the last things I would serve.
I usually consider Alsatian Rieslings or Pinot Blancs with this pairing. Just a thought and it does not have to be expensive. Trimbach regular bottling is the one I go for.
It’s bubbly for me. If the ham has a sugar or honey glaze then something not too dry like an extra-dry, which isn’t. (Don’t ask me, I didn’t invent the rules) lol
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Bubbly, rose, riesling. Cru Beaujolais for red is good. New world pinot would be my next choice for red.
JD
Bourbon