What type of wine with spiral sliced ham?

[mom2boys]

I am clueless when it comes to wine. What do you recommend?

 

[KathyTX]

With ham I'd choose something a tad sweet and light to complement the sweet and saltiness of the meat...

If you like red, a chilled beaujolais would be nice.

For white, maybe a chenin blanc or a riesling.

A white zinfandel would also be a fine choice.

 

[tiggerlover]

We live in the heart of wine country, and DH loves wine, so I asked him for you.

He suggests Valpolicello Classico. It is a wine that is made right here in Italy where we live. Here is a little synopsis I found on the web for you:

It's produced in the foothills of the Alps, just west of Verona, in an area sandwiched between the mountains and Lake Garda. The grapes used are Corvina Veronese (40-70%), Rondinella (20-40%) and Molinara (5-20%). The vintner can also add up to 15% complementary varieties, which include Rossignola, Negrara, Trentina, Barbera and Sangiovese. As a general characteristic the wines tend to have lively to powerful bouquets, be full on the palate with good fruit, velvety, and have a pleasing aftertaste.

Valpolicella Classico is what most foreigners think of when they think Valpolicella. It is a light quaffing wine, generally fermented in steel, kept in tanks, and then bottled in the spring, to be drunk on a daily basis. It tends to have a lively bouquet with floral notes and hints of cherry or berry fruits - this is definitely an aromatic wine. On the palate it is light, fruity, and with a pleasant touch of acidity that leaves a clean finish.

Also note, this is something I learned living in Italy, red wines are not supposed to be served chilled, they are supposed to be served at room temperature. Only white wines and spumante's are supposed to be served chilled.

 

[Boo'sMom]

Originally posted by tiggerlover
We live in the heart of wine country, and DH loves wine, so I asked him for you.

He suggests Valpolicello Classico.

Also note, this is something I learned living in Italy, red wines are not supposed to be served chilled, they are supposed to be served at room temperature. Only white wines and spumante's are supposed to be served chilled.



Oh I second Valpolicello....great wine!!!! and definately serve it at room temp...


What time should I be there for dinner???

 

[KathyTX]

I guess I'm a wine heathen!

I would *never* chill, say, a cabernet sauvingnon or a merlot. I love the rich, full bodied feel of it too much to ruin it. (Oh, what heaven to pair a perfectly done medium rare filet mignon with a fragrant cabernet sauvignon! mmmmm...)

But a light, sweet and fruity Beaujolais? I like it best cooled a bit. (With my sincere apologies to the oenophiles!)

 

[RUDisney]

I'll be serving zinfandel with my ham on Christmas. The full body will support the salty ham very nicely, I think. The valpolicella will also do the same.

If you don't want the robust, almost chewy quality of these wines, the beaujolais is a nice alternative, as is the riesling. They will add a fruity quality.

I'm just not sure which zin I will pick yet. That'll be left up to what I have in my wine cellar.

If you are afraid of wines, a few low cost alternatives to the suggestions given are (white) a Chateau Ste. Michelle Johannesburg Riesling. In PA (the land of high liquor taxes) I paid $7.99 for a bottle the other day, on sale. It is a superior low cost wine.

For about $11-13, you can pick up a Niebaum Copolla Rosso. This is a red table wine made by the director, Francis Ford Copolla. It has been consistently rated one of the top wines under $25 by Wine Spectator. It has a smooth finish.

Finally, for a nouveau beaujolais, I'd pick up a Louis Jadot. Those are usually under $20 and are typically potable.

Let us know what you select.