Honey-glazed ham is roast ham with a sweet, sticky, caramelised glaze — salty, sweet and savoury all at once. The salty meat and sweet glaze pair best with fruit-forward, off-dry wines whose fruit echoes the honey and acidity cuts the salt and fat. Off-dry Riesling is the classic, its sweetness mirroring the glaze, while a fruity rosé or light red also works. The wine should be fruit-forward and fresh; a touch of sweetness against the glaze and acidity against the salty ham make the most harmonious, festive pairing.
Sommelier quick take
#1 pick — Off-dry Riesling or Pinot Noir is #1 for glazed ham — sweetness on the meat needs fruit and acid, not tannin.
If you only buy one — If you only buy one: a $15–20 Riesling Spätlese-style or fruit-forward Pinot. Avoid dry austere reds as the only bottle.
Skip these
- Tannic young Cabernet
- Bone-dry high-acid whites with no fruit
- Dessert Port as a dinner wine
Our sommelier's picks
Save to Pinterest#1 Off-dry aromatic white
8–11°C (46–52°F)Riesling · Mosel, Germany
Off-dry Riesling's fruit mirrors the honey glaze while its acidity cuts the salty ham — the classic match.
If you only buy one: a $15–20 Riesling Spätlese-style or fruit-forward Pinot. Avoid dry austere reds as the only bottle.
Aromatic white
10–12°C (50–54°F)Gewürztraminer · Alsace, France
Its lychee and spice flatter the sweet glaze and rich ham.
Alsace offers reliable quality.
Fruity rosé
8–10°C (46–50°F)Grenache · Spain
A fruit-forward rosé refreshes against the salty-sweet ham.
Spanish rosado is great value.
Juicy chilled red
13–15°C (55–59°F)Gamay · Beaujolais, France
Lightly chilled Beaujolais's fruit flatters the ham without heavy tannin.
Beaujolais-Villages is affordable.
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Questions about pairing Honey-Glazed Ham
What wine pairs with honey-glazed ham?
Off-dry aromatic whites like Riesling and Gewürztraminer — their fruit mirrors the honey glaze while their acidity cuts the salty, fatty ham.
Why off-dry wine with glazed ham?
A little sweetness echoes the honey glaze, while bright acidity balances the salt — a harmonious match.
Can I serve red wine with ham?
Yes — a fruity, low-tannin red like Beaujolais served slightly cool flatters the ham.
Clove and brown-sugar crust?
Spice and sugar push toward aromatic whites (Riesling, Gewürz) or a lighter red with red-fruit sweetness, not oak and powder.