For most folks, the idea of Pairing seafood with wine seems daunting. The big question is, should it be a challenge? Let’s face it; there are so many comments on this subject.
It’s relieving to know that most wine experts and sommeliers agree on the issue, and not that alone they also speak favorably about it. However, there are important guidelines that match this idea.
Maniec, a young expert sommelier agrees that one of the most delicious and accessible ways to approach and enjoy wine is by perfectly Pairing it with food. Another wine expert, a wine director at the Tasting Kitchen in Venice, Calif., Ivan Zanovello, admits that he loves wonderful seafood with complimentary white wine. These fascinating remarks reinforce the conviction that Pairing seafood with wine is indeed a fun concept to try out.
Nevertheless, that it is something you can comfortably do doesn’t rule out guidelines suggested by experts. Therefore, before we journey down the Pairing Guide, it’s so vital I take you through the six (6) guidelines to bear in mind.
Watching The Weight of The Wine is Excellent
It is very likely that when you stumble over some types of wine, you might be unable to pronounce or remember some of the grapes. The way out? Weight!
Pick the one you did know, then move close to a Sommelier to finish up with the rest. Want a quick guide? Okay! If you are eating a heavy meal of scalloped potatoes and filet mignon, a perfect pair of wine is a dense wine like Merlot or Cabernet. What if you were to eat an excellent meal of fluke crudo? A light wine like Riesling would not be a bad option.
Glue to Freshness And Age
Understanding the idea of freshness and age should not be too complicated. Pair fresh food with younger wines, then, wine from the old world wouldn’t do wrong for an earthy food? Hard to grasp? Definitely not!
Take, for example, peas and ramps which are unique types of spring vegetables will pair better with California Chardonnay. Why? California Chardonnay has a fruity taste that will match better with the freshness of vegetables. Besides, paring mushrooms and Barolo or Burgundy suggest an extensive knowledge of good wine and food Pairing.
What Grows Together Goes Together
This isn’t a wishy-washy rule. Wines from the landlocked areas are excellent pair with meat. It’s experimented that Rioja pairs nice with pork meat. And from the coastal region, a glass of wine that is produced from there is a perfect match with seafood.
Also, wine from Tuscany makes an ideal pair with Tuscan olive oil and Tuscan tomatoes. So, it is beneficial to study the environment and region a particular wine comes from then you can know if your food will indeed make a great match.
Don’t Get Carried Away With Color
From Ivan’s comments quoted at the onset, you might think he is emphasizing white wine with seafood. Not necessarily! it’s usual to hear people say that white wines pairs better with seafood while red wine goes with meat.
Remember, it’s more about the weight and origin and little concern about the color- we won’t still rid that fact off it though. Take, for example; a Pinot Noir makes a delicious pair with tuna. Furthermore, Expert Maniec suggests that you pair octopus with Grenache. You’ve got a great deal of taste to experience!
Another Great Match – Fat And Tannins
How would you define Tannins? A constituent that makes the wine taste dry? We’ve got similar knowledge. The reason isn’t far Fetched. Tannins are obtained from the grape skins and stems. As a result, the thicker the surface, the drier the wine.
Fatty food is best paired with tanny wines
Hey, don’t think I’m talking red meat. I’m talking about butter, cream, and cheese with a rich sunchoke ravioli. Excellent? Yes! So with big red wine, this Fatty acid is no error. And in fact, a single taste will make you order for more.
Don’t Be Too Obsessed About Doing it Right
Know this, when paired wrongly, wine can wash off the taste of a delicious meal. However, the motive of the Pairing is to have an excellent complement to a dish. And when there is no overly right way of getting it done, it’s safe to say that you can’t be written off for not getting it, mind you, you might get those awful faces sparkling at you.
In a bid to enjoy that perfect pair, don’t stress yourself, take it for its fun. What’s the worst that can happen? You will end up Pairing what you don’t love, which may make you open another new bottle.
Yes, there you go The six guidelines that govern food Pairing with wine! Now we can accurately and comfortably talk about seafood Pairing with wine.
In the real sense, when it comes to wine and seafood, different pairings will highlight those sea flavors. Any complete seafood dinner can only be fully fleshed with a stunning ocean view in the background, and on the other side, a glass of wine!
Going by the above guidelines you shouldn’t have a problem pairing, yet, to bring it down to your doorstep – a detailed guide. I want you to be extra thorough and that irrespective of the aquatic meal you are enjoying, you would be sure that you are pouring the right kind of wine.
Pairing Fish With Wine
As a result, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best seafood and wine options you can pair with. It cuts across all sort fish, shrimps, mackerel, crabs, and others.
For fish, texture, aroma, and taste are imperative in matching it with the best wine. Don’t forget that from the onset, I’ve got your back, and you will be learning from experts, so even though you aren’t a marine food expert, you can match like one.
Yellow Tail And Chenin Blanc
Want a common fish used as sashimi, think subtle yellow fish! It’s a perfect combo with delicious and sweet sauces. Therefore, what wine would make a good pair?
It needs a glass of wine that’s also on the sweeter side, light and not thick. What better accompaniment can we find? Chenin Blanc.
Oysters And Champagne
If you’ve read the recent article on champagne (if you haven’t you can check here), you’d have noticed that one of the trademarks of champagne is the bubbles.
You see, the bubbles in champagne go a long way to cut entirely through the salinity of oysters. The level of the pair makes it an excellent seafood match.
Lobsters And Chablis
Another interesting decadent seafood dish is the lobster. You wonder why? When it comes to taste, it’s delicate! So how best can you pair? Lean Chablis is a fantastic pair. Thus, it makes your meal a memorable one.
Sea Bass And Pinot Gris
Isn’t sea bass fishy? Is that a deterrent? Not at all! The steak-like characteristic makes it mild. For that reason, my recommendation for the wine pair should be acidic and light wine. To that end, what can serve as the best one? I’ll say you pair Pinot Gris wine so that it would awaken the flavor of the fish. It couldn’t get better!
Tuna Steak And Rose
Want another traditional, yet exclusively Pairing? Tuna steak and rose make an amazing Pairing style. How does it work best? The succulence of the tuna steak is a perfect combo for fruit in rose. And that’s the gateway to deliciousness! If you are for the color, it’s just so perfect.
Monkfish And Soave
If you aren’t a newbie to monkfish, you’d realize that it’s a meaty fish. So for soave, the wonderful vegetal is a better compliment for the meatiness. That’s a perfect match for this unique fish.
Tilapia And Muscadet
Seafood especially tilapia is fishy, and yes, Muscadet is a perfect pair. Wonder how Muscadet would work it out? Muscadet has minerals and citrus qualities the completely tame the intense and exotic flavors of tilapia.
Trout And Albarino
Trout is a light fish that’s fishy and salty. So the better pair here is nothing other than Spanish Albarino. Its crispy feel is sufficient for its maritime flavor. One more thing, it’s easy to get.
EEL And White Burgundy
Another classic sashimi fish like yellowtail is EEL. Burgundy is a mouthwatering wine. The meatiness and flakiness is an ideal pair for EEL.
Skate And Dry Riesling
Most folks enjoyed this fish when dried. It’s soft and stringy. It wouldn’t pair well with extremely creamy and sweet wine. So what wine is up for the task? Dry Riesling is white wine, and a fuller body is up for the challenge.
Aren’t you overwhelmed with these excellent fish and Wine Pairing? It’s time we talk about crab, shrimps and other types of aquatic life. From stone crabs to hermit crabs to Dungeness crabs, to soft-shelled crabs, and others, the sweetness, succulence, and deliciousness is an indeed amazing level of taste.
Pairing Wine With Crabs
Crab meal is irresistible regardless of how it was cooked. Amazingly, a better pair to any type of crab meal is a glass of wine. I’ll talk about the six best pairs.
- Buttery Chardonnay. The sweetness of crab meat is well complemented with the sufficient level of acidity of white Chardonnay. It has inherent sweetness and elegant flavors. And with melted butter? It’s a fantastic choice.
- Zesty Sauvignon Blanc. For a deep-fried crab, you would get a better citrusy-herbaceous wine. This wine accentuates the elegant richness of this shellfish meat.
- Intense Savennieres. Not so favorite a bottle of wine, but it’s undoubtedly a dry white wine that makes a good pick for crab meal. While I’m recommending this is because of the citrusy and the mineral based tones the wine has.
- Sparkling Wines. The bubbles from sparkling white make great aperitifs. Additionally, when paired with food, they make a great combination. Crab as an example, pair better with a sparkler like champagne.
- Exotic Viognier. Known as being food-friendly, this unusual wine is immensely aromatic, creamy and sweet notes that make it reveals the sweetness of the crab meat.
- Pinot Noir. Highlighted at the preceding paragraphs, the color sometimes aren’t criteria for seafood matching. This light red wine-pinot, won’t make a weak pair. It doesn’t overwhelm the rich flavor of the crab meat somewhat the vibrant acidity neutralizes the sweetness of the crab meat.
Folks till this moment enjoy eating the healthy, delicious shrimps and broccoli scampi dish. This delicious meal, however, is incomplete if you wouldn’t pair with a tasty entry- a refreshing glass of wine. How do you match perfectly? Remember, the guidelines? Fine! Coupled with that, I have a few examples for your use.
Pairing Wine With Shrimps
- Vermentino. What perfect wine could stand up to the sauce and shrimp? A glass of wine that is rich, mineral white from medium to full bodied will be a nice pair. The rich, compelling flavor refreshes the palate after each bite.
Interestingly, there is a note from an experienced wine selector, Jordan Marker. It says that Chardonnay will conflict with garlic due to its vanilla sweetness.
- Pinot Grigio. Which wine would match the richness of a shrimp meal? Pinot Grigio with butter and pungent characteristics from lemon and garlic will pair the shrimp dish amazingly.
There you go! You should be all set to try out this new knowledge. It’s not possible I highlight all the available wines with the seafood Pairing pattern. These are just a fraction of the wine Pairing suggestion.
For that reason, to have a remarkable Pairing the six guidelines mentioned at the onset are powerful points you should master and let it guide you. Although Nothing beats Pairing wine and seafood like an expert!
When next you have a seafood dinner, be ready to pair with some of the suggestions above. Enjoy your new rich and elegant taste!
