Pair Seafood and Wine like a Pro!

The Cornish Fishmonger explains which wines to drink with different varieties of fish Here at The Cornish Fishmonger we have a range of delicious recipes that show-off all the beautiful varieties of fish we sell. Customers often ask us for wine pairing recommendations, so we thought we'd put together a few of our favourite seafood and wine matches. Here are our top tips: Get the basics right As a basic rule, the lighter the dish the lighter the wine, with more robust flavours requiring a heavier wine. So it follows that many seafood recipes pair very well with white wine. However, some types of fish partner well with lighter chilled reds, as well as Champagne and dry Sherry. But personal taste is everything, so we’ll leave the choice of price and country of origin to you – enjoy! Oysters Champagne is the ideal candidate for a true ‘taste of the sea’, or try Manzanilla Sherry as an alternative. Prawns How you cook your prawns will influence your choice of wine. However, a dry Manzanilla Sherry, Sauvignon Blanc or any dry white will normally taste delicious. Bass This classic fish deserves the best wine. Aged white Burgundy or full flavoured Chardonnay work well, and be sure to push the boat out to buy the best you can afford. Salmon Due to salmon’s powerful flavour, you will need a stronger white Loire - perhaps Sancerre, Pouille Fume or even a light red pinot noir slightly chilled. Crab The rich strong flavour of crab demands full flavoured wine. Try a rich Viognier, white Rioja or a full Semillon as their full flavour will not be challenged by the depth of flavour of crab. Scallops While they are similar to Crab in many ways, Scallops have a much subtler flavour. Enjoy with a Pinot Gris, Chardonnay or Viognier. Tuna The clean bright flavour of tuna requires wines such as chilled dry sherry, Rosé or a light Semillon. Turbot This robust flavoured fish deserves the very best of wine as an accompaniment. A white Burgundy or creamy Chardonnay will match well. Smoked Salmon The rich smoky flavour of cured salmon works well with Champagne, White Burgundy and Gewürztraminer. Monkfish Subtle in flavour, this meaty fish partners well with White Rhône, Burgundy and Rosé. Lobster Rich in flavour and robust in texture, creamy New World Chardonnay, Sauvignon-Semillon and Champagne make suitable partners for this celebratory seafood. Smoked Haddock Any pungent wines will withstand the stronger flavours of smoked fish; we suggest Pinot Gris, full Sauvignon Blanc or Gewürztraminer as best partners   For more recipe ideas or to order fresh fish online from Cornwall visit The Cornish Fishmonger