Springtime wine and food pairings are wonderful. People have emerged from winter’s hibernation wanting to barbeque and explore new wines. Most wineries are moving new wines to the marketplace to make room for harvest that begins later this summer.

Lamb, prime rib, or baked ham will be on many Easter tables. When pairing wines with these proteins think about how you are preparing them (e.g. grilling, baking or with a sauce). The preparation will help you choose the perfect pairing. 



Baked ham was always on our family’s Easter table. Ham is a challenge for wine pairing because of its saltiness. The glaze on the ham makes it even more difficult because of the added sweetness. Some glazes are very sweet and the wine needs to cut through that salty/sweet flavor.

The best way to pair the wine is to ensure that it has a bit of sweetness too. A champagne or demi sec sparkling wine usually means that it is slightly to medium sweet and might pair well. Or choose a dry Riesling or Chenin Blanc. Though red wines such as Petite Sirah or Australian Shiraz would pair well too.

Have fun and try different wines to see what pairs best to your palette. Click Here for our wine-friendly Glazed Baked Ham recipe and try your hand at pairing wines.