Fish

When considering a dinner menu that incorporates wine and fish, it has always been thought that your choices had to be extremely limited to a flaky white fish and a dry white wine. While dry white wine and mild white fish do make an excellent pairing, there are many additional combinations that are just as mouthwatering and complex to the palate. It’s time to go beyond the dry white wine and consider the whole rainbow of wine offerings when serving fish as the centerpiece of your meal.

 

While many believe that the sweet Italian sparkling white wine, Prosecco, should be paired with an equally sweet dish like dessert, in general the two powerful bursts of sweet flavor can sometimes overwhelm the palate. A better idea is to pair this bubbly drink with a salty fish dish. Standards like fried fish and chips, which is traditionally made with cod or haddock, provide the perfect complement to Prosecco’s crispy, citrusy sweetness. The savory beer battered coating is elevated by the acidity and effervescence of this sweet wine.

 

Pinot Gris is known for being the perfect wine for many types of fish dishes. Its high acidity and fruity flavors make it a great pairing for seafood lovers. More positioned toward the dryer side of the wine range, Pinot Gris is served chilled. American Pinot Gris is not as acidic as the same type of wine grown in France or Italy. This crisp wine complements an oily fish. A nice seared mackerel can help bring out the citrus and fruity flavors of this wine.

 

French Sauvignon Blanc comes from the Loire Valley or Bordeaux and is one of the dryer white wines available. Its flavor ranges from spicy lime to a fresh herb taste. Also served chilled like most white wines, Sauvignon Blanc is best paired with mild, flaky white fish like tilapia, flounder or halibut.

 

You may have always heard to never drink red wine with fish, but that’s not always the case. Sure, with many red wines, the high tannin content makes the bites of fish taste like metal. Some red wines can be paired with specific types of fish, and actually strengthen the tastes from both the wine and the fish.