Food and Wine Matching - Fish

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Fish and Seafood

OVERALL WINNER: Fish dishes are usually light-flavoured, so it is the way in which it has been cooked that should determine your choice of wine. So here are two "overall winners" - an Italian White for simply prepared fish, or a White Burgundy for richer dishes.

Fish Cakes, Fritto Misto di Mare, Whitebait

To cut through the oiliness of fried fish a crisp White wine is required. Furthermore the fish itself is likely to have a delicate flavour so avoid oaked wines and those made from powerfully flavoured grape varieties. Fish Cakes go well with a steely Chablis. For Fritto Misto or Whitebait you can't go wrong with a dry Italian White or similarly crisp dry Whites like Muscadet.

Cod, Plaice, Dover Sole, Skate, Turbot

Simple white fish such as Cod and Plaice fried in batter go well with Italian Whites. Or if served plainly grilled a lighter styled Chardonnay is a better match.

Firmer-fleshed Dover Sole would cope with a White Burgundy or a North American Chardonnay or alternatively, serve with a soft White Bordeaux. Most Sauvignon based wines go well with meatier Skate and so will an Alsace Riesling.

Turbot deserves a fine dry wine like White Burgundy or even a White Rhône like Condrieu.

John Dory, Mackerel, Monkfish, Red Mullet, Sardines, Salmon, Swordfish, Tuna

Oily fish like Mackerel and Sardines are best with fresh Whites, try Muscadet, an Italian White or an inexpensive White Bordeaux. Of course Sardines eaten al fresco with crisp Rosé is a lovely way to enjoy a summers day.

Salmon and Tuna are strongly flavoured fish that will stand up to bigger White wines like Australian Chardonnays and light Reds like New Zealand Pinot Noirs. But if the Salmon is to be accompanied by a butter or cream sauce then buttery White Burgundy is a better match.

Red Mullet might cope with a New Zealand Pinot Noir too, but a safer bet is a crisp Rosé or a fresh Chardonnay. Swordfish and Monkfish both work with bigger Whites like Californian Chardonnays or dry Australian Semillons.

Bouillabaisse, Fish Pie, Kedgeree, Smoked Haddock

Bouillabaisse is delicious with a medium to full-bodied Rosé, or a southern French White. The creamy sauce of Fish Pie is the dominant flavour in this dish and it should be matched with a lightly-oaked Chardonnay.

Kedgeree needs something to stand up to its big flavours whilst cutting through the creaminess of the dish, a Macon or South Africa Chardonnay should do the trick. To match the smokiness of Smoked Haddock select an oak-matured white such as a White Graves or good-quality Californian Chardonnay or New Zealand Chardonnay.

Caviar, Ceviche, Gravad Lax, Sushi, Smoked Salmon, Smoked Salmon with Scrambled Eggs

If you are going to splash out on Caviar you may as well go the whole hog and serve it with Champagne, or better still a vintage Champagne.

The extremely fresh flavours of Ceviche should be matched with fresh-flavoured wines like New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, or if you want a less aromatic wine then a Muscadet would also work.

Gravad Lax is delicious with Blanc de Blancs Champagne or a dry Alsace, as is Smoked Salmon.

And to accompany that special breakfast dish Smoked Salmon with Scrambled Eggs you should serve Champagne or a dry Australian Semillon. Sushi is sensational with an off-dry German Riesling Kabinett.

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