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Meat · Wine pairing

What wine goes with ham?

Salty, sweet glazed ham loves fruity, low-tannin wines: off-dry Riesling, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais or dry rosé.

The rule: Salt and sugar need fruit and acidity, not tannin.

By Rate This Wine editors · Updated · How we rate

Ham

The 3 best wines with ham

  1. Riesling

    1 Riesling Aromatic white, dry to sweet

    A touch of sweetness mirrors the glaze; acidity cuts the salt.

    Serve 45-50°F From $12

  2. Pinot Noir

    2 Pinot Noir Light-bodied red

    Red cherry fruit and low tannin flatter honey-baked ham.

    Serve 55-60°F Decent from $15; good from $25; Burgundy can be any price

  3. Gamay (Beaujolais)

    3 Gamay (Beaujolais) Light-bodied red

    Juicy Beaujolais is a fun, affordable holiday crowd-pleaser.

    Serve 54-58°F From $12; cru Beaujolais $18-$30

Best on a budget: Beaujolais-Villages or a dry rosé for about $12.

Planning Thanksgiving dinner? Our dish-by-dish Thanksgiving wine guide covers turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and pie, plus how much to buy.

Also good

RoséChenin BlancGrenache (Garnacha)

What to avoid

  • Big Cabernet. Salt makes tannin taste bitter.

It depends how you cook it

If you’re having…Pour
Brown sugar or honey glazeOff-dry Riesling.
Pineapple glazeGewürztraminer or Riesling.
Prosciutto or country hamDry rosé or Prosecco.

Frequently asked questions

What wine goes with Easter or Christmas ham?

Riesling (off-dry) and Pinot Noir are the safest picks. Rosé is a great middle ground.

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