Wine on the Radio - April 17, 2003     Listen

Easter Ham                                     Recommendations

Easter time usually means a traditional family meal.   For many the choice is ham. 

But with so many ways to bake and glaze a ham, what do you do about the wine?  

Honey baked or hams with a sweet glaze on them are just made for New World chardonnay.   The somewhat fat taste of chardonnay complements the sweetness.  

The Chards from California's Russian River are a good choice.

Smoked ham on the other hand likes a lighter style wine with good fruitiness.  So look for Chenin Blanc from the US or a Vouvray from France and you'll like the effect.

If you bake the ham with no glaze, go with a light red.  Pinot Noir from Oregon or Chianti Classico from Italy has the acidity to balance the saltiness of the ham.

Your wine merchant can help with specific selections at the price you want.

Happy Easter.

Our Picks and Recommendations - Wines for Easter Ham . . . All Prices Approximate

Honey Baked or Sweet Glazed Ham:

Rodney Strong 1999 Reserve Chardonnay $25 Sonoma Valley, California Winemaker's Notes:  Fragrances of banana and pear are complemented by a touch of hazelnut and the bouquet is suitably followed by flavors that fill the mouth with tropical and ripe peach flavors. The Reserve Chardonnay finishes elegantly round and full.

Kendall Jackson 2001 Vintners Reserve Chardonnay $12 Sonoma Valley, California Winemaker's Notes:  Generous tropical fruit, apple, citrus and melon aromas and flavors are complemented by buttery, toasty oak complexity. The rich, polished palate leads to a crisp, lingering finish

Smoked Ham:

B&G 2001 Vouvray $12 Loire, France

Winemaker's Notes:  Brilliant straw color. Fresh and aromatic, mixing mineral, floral and fruity notes (exotic fruit). Lively with a certain roundness in the mouth, with good sweetness/acidity balance and a nice mineral finish.

Dry Creek 2001 Dry Chenin Blanc $10  Sonoma Valley, California

Winemaker's Notes:  Clean citrus notes abound within the fragrant floral bouquet. Vibrant fruit flavors burst on the palate, followed by melon, pineapple, and tropical notes. The finish is crisp, dry and exceptionally well balanced.

Baked Ham (no glaze):

King Estate 1999 Pinot Noir $20  Willamette Valley, Oregon
Winemaker's Notes:  This brilliant, garnet colored Pinot Noir displays rich fruit aromas of plum, cherry, blackberry, and cassis. In a background of oak spice, tobacco, leather, and cedar, the soft entry precedes complex flavors of plum, cherry, oak, spice, and vanilla meshing harmoniously mid-palate. This wine offers a well-balanced tannin structure and acidity that carries throughout the long, smooth, velvety finish.

Dom. Drouhin Oregon 2000 Pinot Noir $40  Willamette Valley, Oregon
Winemaker's Notes:  Fruity, floral tones with a delicious texture, silky tannins. Ample in the mouth with a fine, long finish.

Banfi 1999 Chianti Classico Riserva $18  Tuscany, Italy
Winemaker's Notes:  This Chianti Classico exemplifies a modern approach to making this very traditional wine. It's a satisfying middleweight with good flavor intensity and well-balanced structure, wrapping classic flavors in a sleek package.

Ruffino 1997 Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva Gold Label $40  Tuscany, Italy Winemaker's Notes:  The ripe, luscious nose shows intriguing hints of violets and iris, berry fruit, chocolate and smoke. In the mouth, it is rich, complex and elegant, with excellent fruit-acid balance and remarkable depth and length.