Pairing Fish and Wines – Heaven of Flavors!

In the sunny summer days, there are lots of things to enjoy. I love fishing the most! Why? The reason is I can catch and eat the freshest and the most succulent fish – in various ways, grilled, doused in thick sauces, barbecued, poached, steamed and more! Do you feel the same way? Maybe you have some different taste. But if you are like me, what do you think about enjoying wine and fish together, e.g. pairing wine and prawns? Well, though it may seem an odd combination, I have found some exciting pairs of fish and wine. Here are they!

Light Red Wines and Fatty, Meaty Fish

Yes, light reds go fantastic with meaty giants like tuna, swordfish, salmon, marlin, bluefish, mackerel and the likes. How do you like the combination of octopus doused in tomato sauce or spaghetti in clam sauce and Chianti? Don’t you think it is mouthwatering? Well, you will have to execute one caution, i.e. not to combine red wines with spicy seafood; otherwise they together will make you feel ‘yuk’ with the resulting metallic taste!

White Wines with Garlicky Shrimp or Prawns

When you want to enjoy wines with your favorite crustaceans like shrimp and prawns and are wondering which ones to choose, good news for you is you can relish literally any type of white wine! Try, for example, sauvignon blanc, or citrussy whites like white Rioja (unoaked), Rueda or Godello, or southern Italian whites such as Falanghina and Fiano, and you can also try the English Bacchus. What’s more, you can do well with fino sherry or manzanilla. This means, you have such a range to create a heaven of flavors!

White Wines with Lobsters, Crabs, Oysters and Striped Bass

Choose fuller whites like viognier, fume blanc, pinot gris or chardonnay with tasty buddies like crabs, lobsters, oysters or striped bass, and see the difference! Chardonnay goes fantastic with broth-based soups like salmon stew. And for a little oily fish like mackerel or bluefish, try viognier or pinot gris, and you will find it uphill to control your taste buds!

Seaside White Wines and Prawns

Pair French seaside whites like Picpoul de Pinet or Muscadet with freshly prepared prawns and you will be amazed. Well, prawns are such a treat that can be paired even with Italian whites like Greco di Tufo, Pinot Grigio, Vinho Verde or Albarino!

Blush Wines and Tuna or Swordfish

Blush wines go best with tuna or swordfish. When the sauce is full, but you don’t want a white and also not a full-on red, roses and other blush wines substitute full-on whites like Fume Blanc or Chardonnay the best. A tomato-based dish of seafood can also be paired with a rose like zuppa da pesce or cioppino.

Try these combinations and share your heavenly experiences with me!