Tag: wine writing

The Best Reds in the Finger Lakes Wine Region

Artist rendering of Finger Lakes Wine Region
January
13
2026
by Michael Nagy

For this week’s post, I am dedicating it to my good friend and follower Janis @hummingbird512 on Instagram. She is a huge fan of wine, but more specifically, of Finger Lakes wine, and asked me to profile the best FLX reds out there for her to try and stock up on. She considers herself to be a local wine historian.

One of Janis’ favorite FLX wineries is McGregor Vineyards situated on a hillside just one mile above the eastern shore of Keuka Lake. She enjoys all of their wines, but especially the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. She had it this past summer and suggests holding on to it for a while because it will age beautifully.

She also likes to visit Dr. Konstantin Frank, pioneer for wine in the FLX. “Dr. Frank is uniquely located on the southwestern slopes of Keuka Lake. In 1958, Dr. Frank planted the first vinifera vines and ignited the Vinifera Revolution. This movement would forever change the course of winemaking in the Finger Lakes region”, Janis said. She also likes to go to Fox Run Winery and Zugibe Vineyards off of Seneca Lake.

Janis also loves Bubbles, as in sparkling, which pairs well with her bubbly personality. She has always been a huge supporter of me and my wine adventures, so I am thrilled to put this together for her. She has many followers on Instagram and loves to share her wine experiences, often with her daughter. Check her out! She is very engaging!

Below you will find the results from the annual New York Wine Classic through the NY Wine & Grape Foundation. I highlighted the highest scoring reds from this competition. NYWGF partners with the Beverage Testing Institute to judge wines submitted by wineries. Scores are awarded by a trained sensory panel comprised of beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers, and educators. 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of the judges, but I did carefully go through the list and highlight my personal recommendations. I listed those wineries that produce excellent reds and noted the varietal(s) you must try from that winery with some images. I also indicated where you can find the wineries in the Finger Lakes. 

Gold Medals were awarded to wines scoring above 90 pts. There were many excellent FLX reds above 90 in 2025, but I had to cap it at 92 pts and above. Note: Some wineries don’t participate in the NY Wine Classic so they won’t be represented. That’s not say that they don’t produce great reds, i.e. Shalestone Vineyards, Shaw Vineyards, Domaine LeSeurre, Winery, and McGregor Vineyards.

There are multiple AVA’s in the Finger Lakes so the AVA is listed. Most are Finger Lakes AVA, but some are Seneca Lake AVA and Cayuga Lake AVA depending on where grapes are grown and legal designation. Keuka Lake does not have an AVA so they will be designated as Finger Lakes AVA.

Best in Class –

Best Cabernet Franc – Ravines Wine Cellars 2022 Estate Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, 96 pts, Platinum Medal

Best Blaufrankisch/Lemberger – Heron Hill Winery 2023 Ingle Vineyard Blaufrankisch, Finger Lakes, 96 pts, Platinum Medal

Best Syrah – Hector Wine Company 2022 Syrah, Finger Lakes, 93 pts, Gold Medal

Top Red Wines –

Acquilano Wine Cellars 2023 Blaufrankisch, Finger Lakes, 95 pts, Gold Medal

Adirondack Winery 2021 Cabernet Franc “Autumn in the Park”, Finger Lakes, 94 pts, Gold Medal 

Red Newt Cellars 2023 Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, 94 pts, Gold Medal

93 pointers & Gold Medal –

Damiani Wine Cellars 2023 MC2 Red Blend, Finger Lakes

Goose Watch Winery 2020 “Bailey Sue” Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Finger Lakes

Inspire Moore Winery & Vineyard 2022 “Wisdom” Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes

Ryan William Vineyard 2020 Reserve Syrah, Finger Lakes

Ryan William Vineyard 2020 Reserve Merlot, Finger Lakes

Sheldrake Point Winery 2022 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Cayuga Lake

Sheldrake Point Winery 2023 Estate Cabernet Franc, Cayuga Lake

Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2023 Pinot Noir, Finger Lakes

Toast Winery 2023 MJ Red Blend, Finger Lakes

92 pointers & Gold Medal –

Buttonwood Grove Winery 2022 “Marnie Ann” Red Blend, Cayuga Lake

Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2020 Estate Merlot, Seneca Lake

Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2023 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Seneca Lake

Constantia Wine Company 2021 Uniquity Red Blend, Finger Lakes

Constantia Wine Company 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, Finger Lakes

Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery 2022 Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes

Hector Wine Company Sawmill Creek Estate 2022 Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes

Knapp Winery 2022 Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes

Lucas Vineyards 2022 Reserve Estate Collection Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes

Point of the Bluff Vineyards NV June Bug Red Blend, Finger Lakes

Ventosa Vineyards 2020 Merlot, Seneca Lake

Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery 2022 Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes

Other Gold Medal Winners from the New York Wine Classic below.  I did not list them here if they were included in the awards section above, so this is essentially a bonus list. 

Many newer wineries have popped up over the last couple of years in the Finger Lakes, which I have yet experienced, so the list will not include some of them.

I may be a little biased because I am either a wine club member at some of these wineries, have worked with them in some capacity, or visit them often because of their phenomenal red wine program. Enjoy!

What FLX reds am I drinking now – All reds from Damiani Wine Cellars, including exquisite library reds. You must seek them out. Just finished “Departure Red Blend” (CS, CF, Merlot) from Barnstormer Winery, Cab Franc from Long Point Winery, and Saperavi from Airy Acres Vineyard.

Damiani Wine Cellars, east-side Seneca Lake (try Pinot Noir & Reserve Cab Sauv). Wine Club member. Say hello to my friend and tasting room manager, Jeremy, and wine educator, Jenna, when you visit. They are second to none for their enormous and lovely library red program.

Airy Acres Vineyard, west-side Cayuga Lake (try Lemberger and Betty’s Blend, pictured). Wine Club member. Say hello to my friend, winemaker, and owner, Noah, when you visit. They are fairly new in the FLX and have been producing some incredible wines and reds

Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, east-side Seneca Lake (try special Unoaked Cab Franc). I used to be the wine educator and director of marketing and public relations.

Sheldrake Point Winery, west-side Cayuga Lake (try Gamay Noir and Appassimento red dessert wine). Former wine educator there

Fox Run Vineyards, west-side Seneca Lake (try Cab Sauv and fortified Tawny Port)

Bright Leaf Vineyard, east-side Cayuga Lake (try Merlot). Say hello to owners, Donna & Mike, for me when you visit.

Six Eighty Cellars, west-side Cayuga Lake (try semi-carbonic Cab Franc). Say hello to winemaker, Ian.

Shaw Vineyards, west-side Seneca Lake (reds only). Say hello to Mr. Shaw and family

Forge Cellars, east-side Seneca Lake (try Pinot Noir)

Barnstormer Winery, west-side Seneca Lake (try Cab Sauv and fortified Ruby Port)

Shalestone Vineyards, east-side Seneca Lake (reds only)

Domaine LeSeurre Winery, east-side Keuka Lake (try Lemberger). Say hello to French owners, Celine & Sebastian, for me when you visit. Former assistant tasting manager and wine educator there

Red Tail Ridge Winery, west-side Seneca Lake (try Blaufrankisch and rare Teroldego, Lagrein, and Dornfelder. Last 3 from Italy are unique and worth exploring). Former tasting room manager and wine club manager there

McGregor Vineyard, east-side Keuka Lake (try Pinot Noir)

Nathan K/Hickory Hollow winery, west-side of Seneca Lake (try Cab Franc and library reds, pictured)

Long Point Winery, east-side of Cayuga Lake (try Cab Franc). Say hello to my friend, Women for Wine Sense colleague, and up-and-coming winemaker extraordinaire, Kristen. She is awesome!

Any questions or in need of recommendations for an organized wine tour or wineries to visit based on taste preferences, feel free to reach out and I can help you put together a tour to enhance your wine experience. Through my business, The Michael Pour, I am available to be your tour guide and concierge. The Finger Lakes Wine Region has been voted as the “Best Wine Region” in multiple years by consumers.

I’m no longer based in beautiful FLX wine country, but I continue to maintain close relationships with wine people and the wineries there. Look through the blog to read about my previous posts on the Finger Lakes Wine Region here – http://www.michaelpour.com/blog

Check out previous post about what “The Michael Pour” can do for you here – Interested In Learning More About Finger Lakes Wines? – The Michael Pour

Cheers,

Michael

Nobody’s Wine Bar: A Hidden Gem in Central NY

Lounge at Nobody's Wine Bar
December
29
2025
by Michael Nagy

Nobody’s Wine Bar opened in September of 2023. They were a new addition to the infamous and historic Armory Square located in downtown Syracuse. The premise behind the opening was to offer a wine bar to the community that serves a variety of hard-to-find domestic and international wines. 

I would describe the space as being cozy, chic, casual, and educational. The interior features a large mural from the graffiti artist Vacant and custom lighting. It gives off vintage and art deco vibes with comfy seating on sofas, plush chairs, intimate table for two, and a long bar, which will accommodate many guests. Get ready to sip and savor and experience bottle bliss from a knowledgeable and experienced wine professional.

It’s a place where you can get a glass of wine — with about 25-30 choices at a price range starting around $10 per glass. That can go up to $50-$100 per glass for rare, high-end wines. The wine list is rotated often or seasonally to give patrons something new and fresh to try.

Their use of the Coravin wine preservation system allows them to keep bottles fresh without opening them. More bars and restaurants, especially those featuring wines or serving a lot of wine, should use a Coravin.

“What I like to say is we save the best wines for nobody,” said founder, Bob Leonard. “We open up everything, like 60-plus-year-old wine by the ounce just to give people the opportunity to try something they probably would never get the chance to otherwise.”

They try to pick wines from different regions around the world that guests might not have heard of or tried. “We try to highlight wines that I’d say are from more obscure regions and regions that kind of fly under the radar,” Leonard said. 

Additionally, they like to highlight wines that incorporate unique grape varieties and are made by sustainable and environmentally-friendly producers. 

The wines are available at different price points, with their most expensive bottle currently at $112 while most others between $40-$60, which is very reasonable for the atmosphere and for these rare wine finds.
They serve their wines by the half glass, full glass, and by the bottle. The half glass option is great, especially when you want to experience different wines. Grab a seat at the bar to order and engage your sommelier bartender or take your beverage to a comfortable piece of furniture. They know their stuff and would be happy to talk wine.

Nobody’s is primarily a wine bar, but they have some small bites like canned fish, local cheese and charcuterie from The Curd Nerd, and local bread and crackers. They also offer a curated selection of beer, cider, and seltzers and will unveil a small, basic cocktail program soon.

They encourage guests to bring in outside food, which is a great opportunity to discover the perfect wine pairings. Over time, they will look into offering more food choices along with occasional pop-ups.

Nobody’s is a destination where everybody is welcome. They believe, as do I, that every glass of wine tells a story waiting to be shared. With a passion for great pours, impeccable service, and an ambiance that invites you to unwind, they are thrilled to introduce you to their hidden gem on Walton St. in downtown Syracuse.

Whether you’re a seasoned sommelier or are just discovering your love for wine, come pull up a chair. Take a journey through their carefully curated selection of beverages handpicked from around the world, Central NY, and Finger Lakes region. 

Great place to grab a glass while waiting for a table at a nearby restaurant or finish off a delicious meal with an exquisite wine. They have accommodating late night hours for those having dinner, attending a show, musical, or cultural event, or experiencing the nightlife in the city. 

Happy Hour

Tuesday – Thursday from 4p-6p with $2 off beer & full glasses of wine and $1 off half glasses of wine. 

Trivia night is every Tuesday night starting at 6:30. Happy Hour goes till 8p that night.

Hours of Operation

Tuesday – Saturday, 4p-12a (ish*) *if it’s still popping, they will stay open! Closed on Sundays and Mondays. 

Location

Nobody’s Wine Bar, Armory Square, 222 Walton Street, Syracuse, NY 13202 (last shop on the street). Free street parking after 6pm.

Nobody’s offers wine classes for all wine levels with a seasonal focus conducted by staff. They are available to host your company’s private event or your special occasion event.  Look for cool LGBTQIA-friendly events throughout the year as well. Check out the event schedule on Tock for their upcoming winter wine classes at Nobody’s Hospitality Group – Syracuse, NY | Tock.

My company, The Michael Pour, is excited to be partnering and collaborating with them. Our hope is to establish Nobody’s as the main source for local wine education and a primary spot for discovering special wines. If you are a local business or organization and would like to work with us or have us host an event, please let us know at michael@michaelpour.com or hello@nobodyswine.com.

Please reach out to me if you would like to grab a glass or a bottle sometime and I will introduce you to the exquisite wine list.

Meet Sarah

Sarah Gaines is the GM and Head Sommelier at Nobody’s Wine Bar. She handles the day-to-day operations of the bar. I’ve had the pleasure of recently meeting her and working with her for our upcoming “Fundamentals of Wine” class series through the Syracuse Chapter of Women for WineSense on January 18th at Nobody’s. I have frequented the bar on several occasions and plan on being a regular personally and professionally.

Her story is an intriguing one and how she landed here in Central NY to run the wine bar is worth illuminating below. Sarah and I share a similar background with our love and passion for wine. Our combined restaurant and service experiences mirror each other. Also, our deep dive in Italian wine propelled us on our wine path. I look forward to our fun times together and bringing this passion to all of you.

“Born and raised in Colorado, Sarah took an unexpected but deeply fulfilling path to the world of wine. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Alma College, she first discovered her passion for wine while working at a winery in Northern Michigan. There, she found joy in guiding guests through tastings and helping them understand why wine tastes the way it does.

Following undergrad, Sarah worked as a paralegal in Boston and Washington, D.C., and later pursued a master’s in Justice, Law, and Criminology at American University. But it was during her time as a Wine Educator at District Winery—between semesters—that Sarah realized wine wasn’t just an interest, it was her calling. She left graduate school to follow that passion full time.

Sarah went on to become the Cellar Director at RPM Italian, where she earned her Level One certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers and was later promoted to Head Sommelier. There, she helped develop one of the most extensive Italian wine lists, led staff education efforts, earned her Certified Sommelier pin, all while nurturing a deep love for Italy’s rich and complex wine traditions.

Now at Nobody’s, Sarah is excited to return to her roots as a wine educator—sharing her knowledge, exploring new regions beyond Italy, and helping guests uncover wines they’ve never heard of but will never forget.

Outside of work, Sarah stays active with weight training, golf, and spending time with her two beloved cats, Ruthie and Cork.”

Here are some of Sarah’s favorites which appear on the current wine list –

Sarah's favorite wines on wine list

Visit them at https://www.nobodyswine.com/ 

Cheers & Sante,

Michael Nagy

 

Wine Spotlight: Getting to Know Beaujolais Wine

November
20
2025
by Michael Nagy

“Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day 2025”

Beaujolais Nouveau is a light, fruity red wine from the Beaujolais region of France made from the Gamay grape. It is released on the third Thursday of November every year. It is known for its easy-drinking and juicy quality with notes of banana and strawberry, served slightly chilled, and has become a celebration of young wine worldwide.  Its popularity is largely due to marketing efforts in the mid-20th century that promoted a race to get the first bottles to Paris.  

The Gamay grape is also grown in parts of New York State and the Finger Lakes region due to the cool climate and longitude and latitude proximity. Try the Gamay Noir from Sheldrake Point Winery on the west side of Cayuga Lake. You will not find too many Gamay in the marketplace. I did recently indulge in one at Noble Cellar in downtown Syracuse NY. If you do find one in a local shop, expect to only pay around $20–$25.

Beaujolais is the name of a little area in France just south of the Burgundy region. It is one of the few wine regions of France that has a more casual approach. Historically, Beaujolais has been considered a part of Burgundy, but today it stands alone producing high quality, signature wines. The more serious cru designations of Beaujolais drink very much like a red Burgundy (Pinot Noir). Beaujolais is arguably one of the lightest reds you will encounter.

Where is Beaujolais?

  • Bordered by Burgundy to the North – the Saône River (which leads to Côtes du Rhône) to the East – the “Gastronomic Capital of France”, Lyon, to the South – and the Monts de Beaujolais (the hills of the Massif Central) on the West.
  • Beaujolais is just 34 miles long and 7-9 miles wide.
  • Divided into two sections by the Nizerand River, with different soils on each side.
  • Beaujolais’ flavor is in the soil. There are mostly granite and schist (decomposed rock) to the North and clay-based soils (marl) to the South.
  • All of the Beaujolais Cru vineyards are located on the northern side of Beaujolais.

10 Beaujolais Crus

The crème de la crème of Beaujolais!

There are 10 Crus of Beaujolais – all in the north and producing only red wines. The wine labels will simply state the name of the Cru, like Fleurie.

Each Beaujolais cru has its own distinct personality – climate, soils, altitude, aspect, and a host of other factors that are unique. These wines tend to be more complex and known to age well.

The Romans were the first to plant vineyards – to keep legionnaires happy! – followed by the Benedictine monks in the Middle Ages.

It was the Dukes of Beaujeu who made the wines fashionable. Originally, the town of Lyon was the main market for Beaujolais wine.

When the railroads were built in the 19th century, Beaujolais spread to Paris. This marked the start of its popularity.

Some of my regional favorites below, which may be partly due to their distribution and accessibility in the states.

Moulin-à-Vent

Considered “The King of Beaujolais,” this sub-region’s vineyards are grown on decomposed pink granite and soft flaky quartz giving the wines a dark ruby/garnet color, good structure and complexity. These are the most tannic and full-bodied wines of all the Cru.

When they’re young you’ll notice lots of plum, cherry and violet notes, but if you can allow the wine to age up to 10 years you’ll be rewarded with more ‘Pinot’ style – dried fruits, earthy truffles, meat and spice. Moulin-à-Vent gets its name from a local windmill.

Fleurie

“The Queen of Beaujolais.” The vineyards are planted at a higher altitude on the steep slopes at the foot of La Madone.

The wines are lighter in style and highly aromatic with a ’feminine’ quality. Think roses, iris and violet along with some ripe red fruits and peach. If you’re just getting into Beaujolais, the wines of Fleurie are a great place to start. This one pictured from Angel’s Share in Clay NY is fantastic!

Morgon

The second largest of the Crus, Morgon is comprised of six climat all with slightly different styles. Their unifying feature is the decomposed “rotted rocks”. The locals believe this contributes to the ripe cherry aromas found in all the wines.

These wines are intended to age at least 5–10 years. The young, fleshy palate of peach, apricot, cherry, and plum will develop into a more earthy wine reminiscent of Burgundian Pinot Noir, similar to a Moulin above.

Why Does Beaujolais Taste Like Bananas?

One of the things that sets Beaujolais apart is a particular style of winemaking that is extremely well suited to the Gamay grape. Most of the wines of Beaujolais are produced through a method known as semi-carbonic maceration that highlights the amazing fruity aromas of the wine. You see this technique being used more often in cool climate reds around the world. Regionally, you see it done with Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.

The grapes are harvested and then, instead of being crushed, the whole clusters are placed in a vat or tank. The pressure of the fruit begins to crush the grapes near the bottom of the vat, expressing their juice. When the juice comes into contact with the indigenous yeast on the grape skins, the juice starts to ferment creating CO2 gas – aka carbon dioxide – which forces the oxygen out of the tank. Often, a lid is placed on the tank to help eliminate the oxygen as well.

After a short maceration period of around 4-8 days, the juice is racked off (the ‘free run”) and the remaining juice is pressed from the skins (the ‘hard press’), then the two are blended together. From this stage the juice will finish fermentation and completed as a ‘regular’ wine.

This style of fermentation is also responsible for the distinctive aromas of banana, candied fruits, pear, raspberry and cranberry in the finished wine.

(I know this is technical stuff that many of you, unless you’re a wine geek, don’t have an interest in. I bring it up to help you better understand what makes this wine different from others.)

I hope you enjoyed this little primer on Beaujolais wine and the Gamay grape. If you come across any of these wines, please share with me. As you know, I’m always on the lookout for new wines, but especially light reds. Btw, this style of red wine is very approachable, a great intro to red wine, and for those who don’t like red wine. It is also perfect to sip in the summer months and very food-friendly with its acid content and light style. Grab a bottle for Thanksgiving and let everyone try it.

Cheers,

Michael

What am I pouring and drinking right now?

October
22
2025
by Michael Nagy

This post is dedicated to my friend and colleague, Sonya, who has been following and supporting my wine journey since I arrived in upstate NY six years ago. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with her for a brief time at Empire Merchants when I was running the wine program as the GM at Portico Restaurant.

As a champion of local wine, Sonya loves being informed about what’s trending in the local wine scene whether it be the latest and greatest of new wine releases, under the radar wines, winery news, and local events. She is also interested in seasonal sips and my favorite wine to drink each week. As I’m sure with other wine aficionados, wine tasting and drinking is a very spontaneous activity, especially when you take into account what food you are serving or eating.

For this week’s edition of the Pour, I will share the process of my wine selection, which includes the season of the year, occasion/drinking establishment, under the radar or discovery of a new grape/wine, recent wine reviews/ratings, and general feeling and mood. For the latter, the relationship between wine and psychology is a very powerful thing. As a psychology major, former bartender, and current wine steward, I can attest to the psychological implications of what to drink and when to drink it.

Many years ago, I did a piece on drinking personalities based on my experience as a server and consumer of alcohol. Although a novelty piece and not grounded in actual science, there was a lot of truth to its experiential analysis. Maybe I will re-up that story for my audience here sometime. I will discuss what factors contribute to what wine I’m drinking right now and then a little bit about those wines.

Being a wine club member at several Finger Lakes, NY wineries and a local and NYS wine expert, there is a good chance I will be sipping a local favorite or a yummy library wine. By the way, Congratulations to the Finger Lakes Wine Region for being named 2025 Wine Enthusiast’s “Best American Wine Region”.

When people ask me what wine to pair with the food they are having, I immediately provide them with an official answer. But unless they are having a formal wine dinner that costs $100/person or trying to impress their guests, wine collector, or hard to please father-in-law, I will always say “Drink what you like” or “Drink what you are in the mood for”. I know that doesn’t sound very wine snobbish or pretentious of me, but it’s my wine rule. Food and wine pairings are a massive topic, so I won’t focus too much on them for this post.

When selecting a bottle of wine, think “what I’m in the mood for”, “what am I eating”, and “who am I with”. Is the occasion casual or special? Will the bottle be finished? If not, will I or others finish it in the next few days?  Similarly, if you’re feeling adventurous and open to trying something new, choosing a bottle gets way more complex, but exciting at the same time. As long as you’re willing to poke around and do a bit of research—or better yet, take some advice from yours truly, the journey promises to hold a myriad of interesting wines ahead.

If you’re having guests over, take into consideration that everyone’s palate responds differently to flavor profiles—being respectful of that will set you up for a successful selection. Refreshing rosé and sparkling wines set a festive tone—having some of both on hand is never a bad thing. And they are delicious year-round.

When choosing a wine to bring to a dinner party, showing up with bottles that have been chilled properly in advance and stored in a cooler while you travel to your destination allows you to enjoy them upon arrival. Take note of the optimal serving temperatures of the wine and plan ahead. If you need help with, please let me know. Start a wine journal – jot down the winery name, vintage, varietal, and how you served it. Don’t forget to snap a photo of the label to make finding it even easier in the future.

During the fall season (see previous blog post on fall wine pairings), I like to slowly transition my palate to heavier/more medium-full bodied, darker fruit wines, particularly single varietal reds or oaked Chardonnay. As I approach the winter season, I will tend to reach for a bottle that speaks to coziness, warmth, complexity, and festive in nature. Think sparkling (festive), red blends, ports (warm and heavy), dessert wines (sweet and cozy), and fortified wines (sweet, heavy, and strong).

Within those wine choices, I like to grab an obscure wine from a small region that is moderately priced, has good value, and contains a grape that I’m not overly familiar with. There are tons of international and hybrid grapes I have never tried. How to spot a good value wine is by market research, subscribing to a wine publication, like Wine Spectator or Decanter, or looking at the consensus or user ratings from multiple forums and sites.

For budget considerations, my rule of thumb, for example, for a typically high-priced Burgundy from France or Cabernet Sauvignon from the Finger Lakes, is under $30 USD and received a 90 plus score. For a lower-priced varietal, like a Rose or Riesling, with a score of 90 plus, I will look at under $20 USD.

The reality is that, even though I’m a wine purist, I will always recommend drinking your favorite grape/wine for any occasion and if it makes you happy and pairs well with your grub, then that’s a bonus. Don’t think less of me, but I’ve been drinking a reputable box wine called “Black Box”. Not all box wine is created equal. if I want to have something to drink over the course of a week, drinking alone, or just need to unwind, then a $24 USD box (three standard bottles of wine/box) satisfies. Who am I trying to impress? Maybe I should invest in a Coravin so I can drink better wine.

Cheers,

Michael

michael@michaelpour.com

Seasonal Spotlight – Wine Pairings & Ham

holiday ham wine pairings
December
17
2022
by Michael Nagy

Welcome to my first blog post on this new platform just in time for the holidays. Hope you have fun in here. Please keep following and bookmark this page.

If you traditionally have ham for Christmas dinner, here are some basic rules to pairing wine with your favorite holiday ham.

As a general rules, go with fruity wines. Ham, with its sweet-and-saltiness, pairs best with wines that have a touch of sweetness, a substantial amount of acidity and ample, bold fruit. Great wines with ham are Riesling, Moscato, Chenin Blanc, Rosé, Lambrusco, Grenache, and Zinfandel, but don’t stop there. There are so many wines to choose because ham is very versatile.

The general profile of ham is sweet, salty, textured and rich, but you will find variations depending on the style of ham and the way the ham is prepared.

Dry-Cured, Aged Ham

Thinly-sliced, bold flavored hams with a chewy texture and typically higher salt content.

A classic example of this style of ham, that nearly all of us know, is the Italian favorite, Prosciutto. You’ll find ham in this style typically served in micro-thin layers that melts in your mouth as an appetizer.

Examples – Prosciutto, Bayonne Ham, Serrano Ham

Recommended Wines:

The high saltiness factor and dryness of this ham screams sparkling wine. You’ll also do very well with a sparkling Rosé or even a sparkling red. Other great pairing options include table Rosé, crisp, high minerality and herbaceous white wines, like Gruner Veltliner, dry Sherry (Fino or Manzanilla), and dry Madeira (known mostly as a cooking wine).

Savory and Smoky Ham

Medium to thick cut sliced ham with a medium to bold flavor that’s not sweet.

This style is typically smoked but ranges in size from full-sized fresh hams that you bake in the oven to pre-sliced ham that you buy at the grocery store. This is a less-sweet style of ham so the best wine pairings will be different. Since this style of ham is juicier and not as salty as a dry-cured ham, it is one of the better choices to match with lighter red and rose wines.

Examples – Black Forest Ham, Country-Cured non-glazed Ham, Mortadella, Spam (processed, if you’re into that)

Recommended Wines:

With less sweetness and more texture, you will love this with a medium-bodied fruity red that has moderate acidity. There is a great range of wines to choose from in this style and here are a few favorites to know – Garnacha or Grenache-based reds (such as GSM Blend from Rhone Valley in France), Zinfandel, new-world style Pinot Noir from Oregon or California, Zweigelt (from Austria), Dornfelder (Germany), deeply colored Rose, the Corvina-based red wines of Italiy – Valpolicella, aged Tempranillo (Spain), Nebbiolo (Italy), Sangiovese (Italy), Primitivo-Negroamaro blends from Puglia, Italy and “Secco” (dry) Lambrusco (Italy).

Sweet and Salty Ham

These are typically medium to thick cut hams with a chewy texture and noticeably sweet flavor.

Think Canadian bacon. Since this style of ham is sweet and often served with breakfast and Eggs Benedict, you want to match with wines that are also pretty sweet or have a strong fruitiness on the palate.

Examples – Canadian Bacon, Honey Baked Ham, Glazed Baked Hams, Mortadella

Recommended Wines:

The best way to pair with foods that have sweetness is to have a wine with sweetness too. On the dry side, pick a Riesling, Chenin Blanc or White Zin/Merlot. On the sweeter side go for Moscato, Brachetto d’Acqui (Italy), Vin Santo (sweet dessert wine) and White Port. You can probably get away with more new-world style reds including Australian Shiraz, South African Pinotage and American Petite Sirah.

Have a great holiday season!

Cheers,

Michael Nagy

Wine Glass

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