The secret of a successful pairing is the intricate consideration of matching the weight and texture of a wine with the preferred fish used in the preparation.
{Image Attribution via Greek Boston}
Buongiorno amici:
The perennial debate that red wine does not pair well with seafood reappears every time we need to decide, especially when we have guests over dinner. I am still trying to identify who said that red wine doesn’t go well with fish. The classic combination for fish is with white wine, equipped with a less structured and fresher taste, but the variety of red wine and fish is not always wrong, and when chosen well, it can enhance and further enhance seafood dishes.
So, let’s see how to combine reds with fish and above all which ones to choose.
The essential element to consider is the characteristics of the dish you are preparing, even before the wine. Red wines are more full-bodied and decisive than white wines; consequently, they react erroneously with fish or delicate white meats, completely covering and obstructing the flavor.
Red wines, therefore, pair perfectly with fatty and fleshy fish such as salmon, tuna, or swordfish and elaborate preparations such as crusted fish or the various fish soups of any gastronomic tradition. Red wine is also an excellent accompaniment for any practices in any fish conserved in oil or smoked because its rich taste allows you to soften the intense flavor of the processed fish. Having made this clarification, we can move on to identify the perfect red wine for fish.
The wine must be young, with a low to medium alcohol content, fairly flavored, and slightly sparkling. An excellent red wine for fish, for example, is a young Pinot Noir, thanks to its softness and lightness, or a good Sicilian Nero d’Avola. An excellent choice is also Aglianico del Vesuvio or a classic Valpolicella. Usually, reds produced in seaside areas, such as Sicilian or Abruzzo wines, always go well with fish-based dishes, as long as they are young and lightly structured vintages.
In conclusion, the general idea is that you can drink any wines you prefer, but when choosing a red for seafood, stay with a bottle that will not overwhelm the seafood’s primary taste.
© 2021 Chef Walters Cooking School Unsubscribe
CWCS 162 Mayfield Avenue Cranston Rhode Island 02920
