We will start in the coastal region of South Africa, in an appellation called Swartland.

As this will be the only white wine today, we will go to the country that is known best for its versions of the grape that originated in the Loire area of France. Our 2019 A.A. Badenhorst Chenin Blanc should marry well with honey-glazed baked ham. It is golden yellow with aromas of pear, peach, honey and orange blossom. It could be described as unctuous with very ripe flavours resulting from a long ripening period during this particular vintage. Intensity is the result of time spent on its lees (dead yeast cells, stems, seeds) in concrete tanks and old wooden casks. $28 (Stock #7105).

The name of the next wine certainly begs for your best baked ham, in fact I will let the winery do the talking about their 2018 Casa Roja Alexander VS The Ham Factory Tempranillo from Spain.

“A thoroughbred tempranillo with oaked, intense and concentrated flavours. The Alexander VS The Ham Factory project is a masterpiece born from the union of two families, Casa Rojo and the Miguel Sanz brothers. Alexander VS The Ham Factory is our masterpiece, a parody of real life, how a living being has been strengthened after a loss," said Casa Rojo in reference to an analogy of how the vines are pruned back to leave only a few bunches per vine so that they become stronger and more luscious in the wine making process.

Deep carmine-red colour with violet hues. Exceptional and elegant. Intense aromas of red and black fruit compote with subtle touches of vanilla and oak spices from barrel ageing. The luscious and powerful palate is a kaleidoscope of roasted mocha, spiced blackcurrant, ripe raspberry, liquorice, vanilla and mulberry flavours. Full-bodied with a structured mouthfeel, well-integrated tannins and a long finish with soft notes of oak and cocoa. The wine comprises a blend of 85 per cent tinto fino (tempranillo), 5 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 5 per cent malbec and 5 per cent merlot. Alexander VS The Ham Factory by Casa Rojo won the international award for best design, branding and communication for the wine label's daring and original design.” $48.75 (Stock #9374).

Staying with this grape, I think back to a time when my wife and I drove all the way from San Francisco to Oregon. A well-known restaurateur here asked if we would be going through Lake County, north of Napa Valley, as this was where a frequent visitor to our island had a small winery.

We did indeed stop by and met Kaj Ahlmann and his son Cristian, and Burrows Lightbourn has stocked a few of their lovely wines ever since. From them we offer a grape seen rarely in California, but I feel safe in saying, one of Kaj’s favourites – 2017 Six Sigma Lake County Tempranillo, Christian’s Reserve. Although their spectacular family ranch covers an area about a third the size of our island, the winery is boutique and only 600 cases of this tempranillo were made. It is rich, dark and meaty with tobacco and molasses on the nose. Wild thyme and juicy ripe plums are there as well. $60.30 (Stock #5904).

I suspect that you may be considering pinot noir or even beaujolais with your ham, but I am going to continue on another track with the uniquely Californian zinfandel. Here is the winemaker commenting on the 2019 Dry Creek Heritage Vines Zinfandel: “To preserve the tradition and heritage of old zinfandel vineyards, cuttings from a pre-Prohibition era vineyard were grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock. Then, for several years, we worked diligently to screen and propagate virus-free vines that would ultimately produce a crop.

“The 2019 Heritage Vines Zinfandel is delicious and wonderfully balanced. This vintage presents alluring aromatics of boysenberry, black cherry and raspberry with nuances of toasty cedar, warm spices and cocoa powder. On the palate, brambly flavours of dark berries come forward. The wine is complex, with bright acidity complimented by deeper notes of mocha, white pepper and wild sage brush. The tannins are silky and smooth to lend a round, rich mouthfeel.”

Critics Jeb Dunnock and The Wine Enthusiast both rate this 81 per cent zinfandel and 19 per cent petite sirah a very respectable 92 points. $34.95 (Stock #6507).

For those of you that are thinking that ham cries out for pinot noir, I have been staring at a bottle on my desk that has been there for a couple of months. It is new for Bermuda, and I have not tasted this 2018 Drouhin of Oregon Rose Rock Zéphirine Pinot Noir. The back label tells us “French soul, Oregon soil”. I see a 96/100 review from James Suckling that reads, “Very intense violets and fresh wild cherries, blueberries and a spicy, bracken-like note with a stony edge, too. The palate shows the clarity of tannin that is the hallmark of great pinot noir – super fresh, well-defined and fine yet powerful – carrying cherry flavours long and fresh. Drink or hold.” I suspect that a cork removal cannot wait much longer.

Winemaker Veronique Drouhin feels this way: “The 2018 Zéphirine adeptly conveys the beauty of its name and the special qualities of its place. On the nose, it opens with a lovely perfume of spring blossoms, rose petals, and a touch of pomegranate. A striking, savoury palate offers notes of fig, plum, roasted mushrooms, and a hint of allspice with black pepper. Bright and exciting from start to finish, the balanced tannic core leads to a lovely finish full of character and structure. The intense mouthfeel suggests that the 2018 Zéphirine will age beautifully for the next 15 to 20-plus years.” $59 (Stock #8074).

I wish you all fair winds, clear skies, great fishcakes and a wonderful Easter day and dinner.

This column is an advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn have stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits is available at www.wineonline.bm