The best wines to enjoy with a holiday baked ham

As snow melts and daffodils begin to sprout in my yard, I contemplate Easter meals and blooming flowers. When it comes to wine, there is nothing more symbolic of spring than an aromatic Gewürztraminer [geh-VURTZ-tra-meen-er] or the closely related Traminette [trah-mn-ett]. Either white wine is an excellent pairing with a holiday baked ham. The high natural sugars in the grape give sweetness to the wine that offsets spices in the ham that may include clove, garlic, anise, fennel or cinnamon. I recommend smelling the wine when first opened. 1. Pour off a partial glass and tip it slightly forward towards your face. 2. Stick your nose all the way into the glass with eyes closed. 3. Take a deep breathe in through your nose. 4. Think about what scents you’re picking up. Bottom line: there is no wrong answer. (Remember, smell is all about previous experience and memory recall. Individual perceptions can be varied.) Now place the glass on a hard, flat surface and swirl the wine vigorously for at least 10 seconds. Repeat steps 2 through 4. White Pine and Domaine Berrien in Michigan or Fruit Hills and Satek in Indiana would be on my list.