Pino Noir with ham?

[bucsfanbev]

Hello all.

I'm serving ham for dinner tomorrow night.

I purchased 2 bottles of Kim Crawford 2005 Marlborough Pino Noir.

Two questions:

1. Was that a good choice?

2. Should it be served chilled or at room temperature?

Thank you in advance for quick responses. If I need to chill it, I'd like to get it in the fridge ASAP.

[Kcwhippet]

Welcome to the WineBoard, Bev. The Pinot Noir is a good choice. Kim Crawford's PN is a bit lighter than the bruisers coming out of CA, and will work well with the ham. You might also look to Zinfandel or Beaujolais as choices in the future.

As to serving temperature, room temperature is way too warm. The PN will work best at about 55 to 60 degrees F. If you put it in your fridge now, it will be down around 40 F by dinnertime, and that's way too cold. So, if you put it in about 45 minutes before you plan to open the wine that will be fine.

[bucsfanbev]

Thank you!

What if I take it out of the fridge an hour or two before serving? My thinking is, I can get a bit distracted when entertaining and I'm apt to forget about the wine. I'd rather forget and serve it "too cold" than to forget to put it IN the fridge and end up with it too warm.

Will that work? (taking it out a couple hours beforehand)?

[Kcwhippet]

That should work as long as you don't put it somewhere too warm, like next to the stove.