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The short answer
Serve honey glazed ham with a wine that has a touch of sweetness, good acidity and very little tannin. The best choices are off-dry Riesling, semi-sweet honey wine, Gewürztraminer, dry or off-dry rosé, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and sparkling wine. Avoid big, tannic reds and heavily oaked whites.
Why ham is tricky
A glazed ham throws four strong flavors at a wine.
- Salt is the friendly one. It softens a wine's bitterness and makes it taste fruitier, but salty food is thirsty food, so you want something fresh.
- Sugar in the glaze is the hard part. Sweet food makes a dry wine taste thinner, more sour and more bitter, and it is especially unkind to tannin. The wine has to be at least as sweet as the dish, or fruity enough to seem so.
- Smoke wants fruit, not more oak.
- Fat wants acidity or bubbles to cut through it.
Put those together and the profile writes itself: fruity, fresh, a little sweet, low in tannin.
Seven wines that work
1. Off-dry Riesling
The sommelier's standard answer, and a good one. A German Kabinett or Spätlese, or an off-dry Riesling from Washington or the Finger Lakes, has the sugar for the glaze and the acidity for the fat.
2. Semi-sweet honey wine
If the glaze is honey, pour honey. A semi-sweet mead echoes the glaze's flavor directly, which is the oldest trick in pairing, and it brings something most grape wine cannot: next to no tannin, so there is nothing for the sweet glaze to turn bitter. It is also a talking point at a table where everyone has had Riesling before.
3. Gewürztraminer
Lychee, rose and ginger. Made for hams glazed with clove, mustard or pineapple. Look to Alsace or for off-dry versions from California and New York.
4. Rosé
A fruity dry rosé is the diplomatic choice that keeps red and white drinkers happy. With a very sweet glaze, an off-dry rosé is even better.
5. Pinot Noir
The best red for ham: cherry fruit, soft tannin, enough acidity. Choose a fruit-forward bottle from California, Oregon or New Zealand over an earthy, austere one.
6. Beaujolais
Gamay is juicy, low in tannin and happy to be served slightly chilled. A Beaujolais-Villages or a cru such as Fleurie is inexpensive and hard to get wrong.
7. Sparkling wine
Bubbles and acidity scrub fat and salt off the palate. Choose extra-dry Prosecco (which, confusingly, is a little sweeter than brut), a fruity Cava, or a sparkling honey wine if you want to keep the theme.
What to avoid
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo, young Syrah and other tannic reds. The sweet glaze makes them taste bitter and astringent.
- Heavily oaked Chardonnay. Oak plus smoke is too much wood.
- Bone-dry, austere whites such as Muscadet or very dry Sauvignon Blanc. The glaze will make them taste like lemon juice.
- High-alcohol wines in general. Sweet, rich food makes the alcohol stand out.
Match the glaze
| Glaze | Best match |
|---|---|
| Honey, or honey and brown sugar | Semi-sweet honey wine, off-dry Riesling |
| Honey mustard | Dry Riesling, dry honey wine, Pinot Noir |
| Pineapple or orange | Gewürztraminer, Moscato d'Asti, sparkling demi-sec |
| Maple or bourbon | Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, or a darker honey wine |
| Clove and warm spice | Gewürztraminer, Beaujolais |
| Spiral-sliced with a crackly sugar crust | Off-dry Riesling, extra-dry Prosecco, semi-sweet honey wine |
Do not forget the sides
Holiday ham rarely arrives alone. Scalloped potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs and rolls are all friendly to the same wines, which is another reason to favor the versatile, fruity, lightly sweet bottles above. If the table includes both ham and turkey, Pinot Noir and an off-dry white or honey wine will cover everything.
For more combinations, including cheese, spicy food and dessert, see the full honey wine food pairing guide.
Frequently asked questions
What wine goes with honey glazed ham?
Wines with a little sweetness, bright acidity and low tannin: off-dry Riesling, semi-sweet honey wine (mead), Gewürztraminer, dry rosé, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and sparkling wine. They balance the salt and echo the glaze without fighting it.
Is red or white wine better with ham?
Either can work, but the red needs to be light and fruity. Pinot Noir, Gamay (Beaujolais) and fruit-forward Zinfandel are good. Heavy, tannic reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon turn bitter and astringent against a sweet glaze.
What wine pairs with honey-baked spiral ham?
The crackly sweet crust calls for something off-dry. Riesling, semi-sweet honey wine and extra-dry Prosecco are the safest matches, and a chilled Beaujolais works if you want red.
Does mead go with ham?
Very well. A semi-sweet honey wine mirrors the honey in the glaze, has the sweetness to stand up to it, and has next to no tannin for the sweet glaze to turn bitter. It is one of the most natural pairings on the holiday table.
What should I serve with ham at Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas?
Put two bottles on the table: something off-dry and white (Riesling or semi-sweet honey wine) and something light and red (Pinot Noir or Beaujolais). Between them they cover the ham, the sides and most guests.
How much wine do I need?
Plan on one bottle for every two to three adults for a long holiday meal.