FOOD AND WINE PAIRING – WHITE FISH (continuation from BLOG “FOOD AND WINE PAIRING” dated 2nd December 2010)

INTRODUCTION :- This blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine

FOOD BEING FEATURED :- WHITE FISH, white fleshed fish such as Lemon Sole, Flounder, Dover Sole, Dab, Turbot, Halibut and Brill have the lightest, sweetish and most delicate flesh of all the fish family

CHALLENGES :- Finding the perfect match for fish can be challenging since a very dry and acidic wine could go well with oily fish like Mackerel or Sardines, but could destroy subtle dishes like Poached Halibut or Sole Meuniere. Go for mellow and fruity white wines with little or no oak. Stay clear of red wines, although light red wines like Fleurie can go well with meaty, dark fleshed oily fish

RECOMMENDATIONS:- It’s not only traditional , but white wine certainly supports most fish dishes, especially white fish. So white wine with pan fried fish like sole or plaice are exceptinally well suited to a good quality Chenin Blanc such as Luztville from South Africa. Poached Halibut in olive oil and match with a Chilean Gewurztraminer from Vina Segu, the slight acidity from this wine works very nicely. Wild Sea Bass will respond well to a firm, fruity Italian white wine like Gavi de Gavi from the Piedmonte region of Italy.

Your choice of sauce or accompaniment can also be influential to a fish dish. A heavy tomato based sauce or a side dish with spice would welcome a white wine with high intensity and substance such as a white Chateauneuf du Pape or a full bodied Chardonnay such as those made in the Barossa Valley, Australia.

MAIN DIRECTORY :- Click on THE MARRIAGE OF FOOD AND WINE to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also view GREAT FRIENDS-CHEESE AND WINE for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE :- PASTA DISHES

HAPPY FISH AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

GRAHAM D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—TUNA, MARLIN and SWORDFISH DISHES  (continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 11th May 2010)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–TUNA, MARLIN and SWORDFISH. The steaks being grilled, panfried or baked. Larding these type of fish steaks can also enhance the texture and flavour.

CHALLENGES:—–The three fish in question can be compared in a little way with the tender texture and delicate flavour of a top quality Sirloin, Wagyu or Kobe Steak. These three game fish have totally different flavours to the more widely available white seafish from the colder seas of Western Europe.

RECOMMENDATIONS:—–With intense flavoured fish like Tuna, Marlin and Swordfish our choice of wine is varied.
For all three fish we can recommend light red wines such as Julienas from the Beaujolais region of France,or Sangiovese Rosso Toscana from Tuscany in Italy.

For white wines we would suggest a full bodied wine such as Jane Hunters’s oaked Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and also a full flavoured Rhone white such as Pas de la Beaume Blanc from Cave de Cairanne.

A very good quality sparkling Rose such as Chateau Montgueret Saumur Brut Rose will be a superb pairing with either of the three fishes in question.   
 
MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and deserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Spanish Tapas
HAPPY  TUNA, MARLIN,SWORDFISH AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING–SMOKED FOODS (continuation from blog ” Food and Wine Pairing ” dated 3rd April 2010

INTRODUCTION:—This blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—SMOKED FOODS including SMOKED TROUT,SMOKED SALMON,SMOKED MACKEREL,SMOKED EEL,SMOKED HALIBUT,SMOKED HAM,SMOKED CHICKEN,SMOKED DUCK and SMOKED GOOSE.

CHALLENGES:—It is important that strong smoked foods are not fighting against the wine and vice versa . Fish and meat which have been smoked do have the same initial smoky taste and influence, but when moving further into the taste experience, the type of fish or meat you are eating should come through even though the overall smoky influence will still be there – this similar smoky taste generally allows you to choose similar wines for both fish and meat.

RECOMMENDATIONS:—Heavily oaked white wines can sometimes be a little overbearing, but they do have one good and most loyal friend, that being smoked fish. Good examples would be Wakefield Chardonnay from Australia or Hunter’s Chardonnay from New Zealand.

Smoked meats also go well with the two above mentioned Chardonnay’s and red wines well oaked with lots of vanilla flavours well support smoked meats, wines from  Riojas and Ribera del Duero such as Rioja Anares Tinto Crianza, Bodega Olarra and Portia Ribera del Duero Bodegas Portia do a grand job in matching smoked meats. These red wines also make an alternative and agreeable match with some fish dishes which include traditionally smoked eel and mackerel.

A very dry sherry like  Dry Sac Fino,Williams & Humbert  or a dry white port such as Sandeman White Apitiv  make a different and very interesting marriage and will certainly suit and match most smoked meats, fish and shellfish.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—click on The Marriage of Food and Wine to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters,soups,main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—Tuna, Marlin and Swordfish

HAPPY SMOKED FOODS AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D 

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—SHELLFISH (continuation from blog 

 “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 4th February 2010 )

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–SHELLFISH including PRAWNS, LANGOSTINE, OYSTERS, CLAMS, MUSSELS, SCALLOPS, CRAB and LOBSTER

CHALLENGES:—–Delicate shellfish need due care and attention, beware and stay away from strongly oaked wines. You should seek out crisp dry white wines, new world sauvignon blancs, dry champagne or a quality sparkling wine will do the job very well. Shellfish cooked with, cheese, cream or herbs do support a much broader range of wines.

 
RECOMMENDATIONS:—–When eating live shellfish try a very dry and crisp Muscadet  or a more up market Pouilly-Fume, both from the Loire Valley.

When enjoying rich dishes like Devilled Crab, Lobster Newburgh or Lobster Thermidor, then you could choose from all three colours and good recommendations would be a light red from the Loire—Saumur Champigny, a fine and sturdy rose from Australia—Willowglen Rose  or a buttery Chardonnay from New Zealand— Hunter’s of Marlborough.

Lightly cooked Scallops, Clams or Mussels in a white wine sauce go exceedingly well with New World Sauvignon Blancs or a Mortitx Blanc from the island of Mallorca.

Prawns, Shrimp and Langostine dishes cooked in richer style sauces (not curry spices) are very well suited to more full bodied whites like Chateaunuef du Pape  from the Rhone Valley and a rich Chilean Chardonnay from Millaman.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine  to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also  Great Friends-Cheese and Wine  for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Smoked food including,  smoked trout, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, smoked eel, smoked halibut, smoked ham, smoked chicken , smoked duck and smoked goose.
 
HAPPY  SHELLFISH AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—WILD GAME (continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 9th January  2010)

 INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–WILD GAME DISHES, including PHEASANT, PARTRIDGE, WILD MALLARD, PIGEON, RABBIT, HARE, VENISON and WILD BOAR.

CHALLENGES:—–Wild game varies in taste quite a bit, one has the light and flavoursome meats of partridge and pheasant, middle of the range in taste would be rabbit, pigeon and mallard and the strongest tasting meats would be venison, wild boar and especially hare. The challenge is selecting wines to match all three different groups

  RECOMMENDATIONS:—–Big or robust red wines of quality will go well with all three categories of feathered or furred game mentioned above and classic matches would be a full bodied Crozes Hermitage from the Northern Rhone or a well matured Barossa Shiraz from Australia.

If we focus on the lighter meats like pheasant and partridge then there a number of  white or rose wines that would hold their own if the meat is roasted or served with light sauces. Try a full flavoured Chablis Premier Cru such as  from the estate of Tremblay or a Gisborne Viognier from New Zealand. For a rose go for the highly recommended Whispering Angel. A light bodied red wine suited to this particular category would be a juicy red Chinon from the Loire Valley.

Rabbit, pigeon and mallard  all love medium to full bodied red  ranging from Pinot Noirs like those from Oregan and Volnay and Pommard  from Burgundy, to a fruity Hawkes Bay Merlot from the Southern Hemisphere’s New Zealand. These same four red wines are well suited to Rabbit Stew or Pie and also Cold Game Pie.

Venison, Wild Boar and Hare do prefer complex and more full bodied red wines of character and style. Two big boys that immediately come to mind are of course Chateaunuef-du-Pape from the lower Rhone region of France and a quality red from Ribera del Duero from the north east of Spain. If you are brave and considering the famed game dish of Jugged Hare, then the intense and fruity wines from Gigondas and Vacqueyras will the perfect match.

 
MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine  to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine  for cheese and wine pairing.

 NEXT ARTICLE:—–Shellfish dishes, including prawns, langostine, clams, mussels, scallops, crab and lobster

 
HAPPY  WILD GAME AND WINE PAIRING DAYS
Graham D