If ham is somewhere on your holiday menus — whether a store bought honey baked ham or your own clove-studded version — try pairing it with an aromatic Gewurztraminer like the one I tasted over the weekend:

Pietra Santa 2007 Gewurztraminer Central Coast ($15). Dried rose petal aromas accent clean, fresh apricot, tropical melon and pretty citrus notes. Finishes crisp and refreshing. Nice value. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area — or buy direct from the winery.

Gewurztraminer is a grape that is best known in France’s Alsace region, though wineries in California (like Pietra Santa) and Washington grow a bit of it, too. “Gewurz” is the German word for spice, and these wines often do have a spicy bouquet that can include lychee and rose aromas. It tends to be a low acidity, high alcohol wine — and seems to be a love it or hate it wine. I happen to love it. See what you think!

My idea of heaven is a plate of warm-from-the-oven biscuits, buttered and stuffed with sliced ham and paired with a glass (or two!) of Gewurztraminer. Keep it in mind when you’re contemplating leftovers!