Pairing Wine With Salmon
by Michael James-The Grape Meister | Dec 12, 2018 | Uncategorized |
When considering fish as a food category one species is front and center. Salmon! Many consider it comfort food. Its rich flavor is what makes salmon a fan favorite. Not to mention the fact that it is packed with healthy Omega 3 oil. Additionally, there are a myriad of vitamins like D and four types of B vitamins. The potassium, selenium and phosphoric minerals are an added benefit.
Salmon is a rule breaker. For decades wine connoisseurs preached that white wine should be paired with white meat. That red wine was meant to be paired with red meat. If you accept these tenants than what do you pair salmon with? I mean salmon steaks are quite pink. If you accept this old rule than is Rosé the best match? Well yes and no. Depending on the preparation method, you can pair your dishes with different wines.
The purpose of this article is to simplify your choices. Salmon is a fatty fish. When you combine salmon with sauces and seasonings the final wine choice will depend on the combination of those elements. Because salmon is one versatile fish, there are at least a dozen cooking/preparation methods at your disposal. You can bake it, roast it, grill it, smoke it, sear it, Poach it, slow cook it, barbeque it, as well as match it with lots of different sauces. This is why you can pair salmon with whites, reds, rosés, and even rosé sparkling wines.
Does Red Wine Pair With Salmon
Many people think that fish, as a white meat, can only be paired with white wine, but as we have seen, there are also some really great red wine pairings for salmon. Farmed Atlantic salmon tends to be fattier than wild caught, and this lends itself well to the bolder flavours of a red wine. As a general rule, the heartier and more steak-like the salmon dish, the better it will work with red wine.
When it comes to selecting your wine, lighter-bodied reds are best. Salmon may be richer than most fish, but it is still a white meat, and bold, full-bodied reds will overwhelm your dish. High-tannin wines should also be avoided for the same reason.
To find out more about one of the worlds favourite fish, why not take a look at some of the numbers behind salmon?
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What Style Of Cooked Salmon Goes Well With Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is best paired with any type of salmon thats not overly fatty or creamy but if it were me, Id have to go with salmon filets that have been seared or grilled just shy of the medium.
The wine will nicely compliment the fishs natural nuttiness and while youll still get those bold flavors from the wine, they wont overpower the lighter textures found in salmonespecially when it comes to grilling! The wine also goes well with smoked salmon as well which should be something more than a pleasant surprise for most of us!
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A Note On Salmon And Red Wine
You wont miss a wine to pair with steak-like white meat such as salmon. The trick is to find a wine with low tannin to avoid the metallic taste you get when you pair with full-bodied reds. A Pinot Noir would be a great choice in this case. The fruity raspberry and strawberry notes, as well as the earthy undertones all, work to balance the flavor of the fish. From baked to smoked, grilled or pan-seared salmon, you can never go wrong with a light Pinot Noir with light tannin. One example of this kind of pairing is the Valpolicella blend, which is mainly the Corvina grape. There are also other choices such as Prieto Picudo , Beaujolais and Lambrusco .
Matching your pairings to the sauce and method of preparation. If youre thinking of cooking with that bottle of wine, check out What is Cooking Wine? for tips on how to cook with your wine.
Salmon Stew With Wine
Considered one of Salmons best and easiest preparations, this originated in Brazil and gave a delicious savoury taste.
The main ingredients of this delicious dish include lime juice, cilantro, tomatoes, and coconut milk.
Its comfort food that anyone will enjoy. Youd usually want Chardonnay for stews, but you can also try aromatic white wines like Herbal Gruner Veltliner and Riesling.
Some good wine pairings include Sercial Madeira, Orange Wine, which is great because of its nutty flavors, and Dry Sherry.
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Glazed Salmon With Wine
Glazed Salmon is usually prepared with sweet sauces. A common variety of this dish is Teriyaki Glazed Salmon.
You can expect the Salmon to be steak-like with a hint of sweetness. Great wines for this Salmon preparation include Dry Riesling, Lambrusco, Bolder Rose Wines, White Pinot Noir, and Torrontes.
Can You Pair Red Wine With Seafood Pasta
It may seem unusual but this pairing can work very well together. Seafood pasta can be either a Spanish dish , or it can come from the coasts of Italy. The absolute best way to pair any wine and food, particularly something like seafood pasta is to do it by the region the dish was created.
This means that if you are cooking a seafood pasta with a Spanish influence you should try to pair it with a bottle of Spanish wine, ideally from the coasts of Spain. It can be either red or white, depending on your preference. The important thing in this pairing is that the regions match up as best as you can.
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Best Wines To Pair With Salmon
Salmon is one of the most luxurious foods for dinner, and its pretty hard to go wrong with whatever type you choose. But if youre thinking of serving it on a special occasion, you may want to take a closer look at the wine possibilities.
Baked Salmon With A Crispy Skin
Baking salmon in the oven gives it a crispy skin and intense flavors. A light-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir is a great pairing for this preparation. An option for lovers of red wine is Beaujolais, a French wine made from Gamay grapes. Its low in tannins but high in acidity. Its fruity and earthy aromas complement the salmons flavors superbly. Sangiovese can work as well. But as its tannins tend to be much more intense, it can overpower the salmon.
Riesling that isnt too dry is a good pick for white wine lovers. Try a German Riesling Kabinett or Riesling Spätlese that is labeled as restsüß .
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Pairing Wine With Crispy Skin Salmon
Theres nothing like putting skin in the game, especially when youve picked seared salmon skin with a top notch wine pairing. When I think of salmon with crispy skin, I think of heat-kissed flesh that tastes and almost melts like butter. Since no one is skimping on the cut of fish, theres no point in skimping on the wine. Keep the match full-throttle with the Kendall-Jackson Stature Chardonnay. If red is where its at for you, snatch a bottle of Jackson Estate Outland Ridge Pinot Noir for its forest floor and briar tones that align nicely with the savory tones of the salmon skin.
Grilled Salmon And Wine
By grilling salmon, you can add smoky flavors to it. These rich aromas allow you to pair it with full-bodied red wines. As said before, choose one that is rather low in tannins to avoid an unpleasant metallic taste. Gamay is a great choice, and like for raw salmon, you can also go for a Saignée Rosé wine. If you are more into whites than into reds, pick a dry Pinot Gris. When barbecued with Cajun- or Creole-style spices, a more robust red wine is a proper match: Merlot or Zinfandel wines will do the job.
Grilled Salmon with Vegetables
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What Kind Of Wine Should I Drink With Salmon
Because salmon is a meaty fish if you grill or char it you can pair it with a red. Pinot Noir is my favourite match but a Gamay would rub along happily too. If you prefer a white try a dry Pinot Gris. A fruity Pinot Noir is also a good wine match with Japanese style dishes such as salmon teriyaki or yakitori.
Pairing Wine With A Salmon Stew
The recipes for salmon stew are numerous and varied. Basque-style, Moqueca and Abalos style and simple salmon stew are just a few. I have cooked numerous recipes but the Moqueca or Brazilian style is my favorite. I love a stew with a LOT of vegetables. This one does not disappoint. Bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and coconut milk are the core of this wonderful dish.
Recommended Pairings:
California North Coast Sauvignon Fume blanc
Oregon State Chardonnay
Australian South East and Victoria Chardonnay
French White Bordeaux
Chile Central Valley and Maipo Valley Chardonnay
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The Best Ros Wine With Salmon Pairing
When you think about it salmons flesh is pink. So, if you go by the white with white, why not pink meat with pink wine. Rosé wine has been made from almost every grape available. To obtain a rosé wine, the skins used in the fermenting stage of wine production are left in contact with the juice for a much shorter time. That is why it is light pink vs. red in color. There are hues of rosé. From dark to very light. A good rule is to match the color of the rosé you want to use with the color of the salmon. So, a Coho salmon would match with a much darker rosé than a farm raised fish.
Rosé wines will pair with many salmon dishes. Rosé is wonderful with a grilled whole fish. It will go with that smoked salmon and eggs as a brunch choice. It goes with pate or poached salmon dishes.
Rosé wines inherently have red fruit aromas with a mineral character. This is a real asset when looking to pair the wine with salmon dishes. Many wine experts have pointed out that rosé wines have characteristics of both white and red wines. Its acidity is perfect to tone down the rich oily nuances of salmon. Rosé will not overpower the spices or seasonings used in preparing the dish.
Pairing Wines With Sous Vide/slow Cooked Salmon
One of the newest cooking techniques to become popular is Sous Vide. It is a slow cooking method that preserves the inherent moisture in the meat for fish. The salmon fillet is sealed in a plastic bag and inserted into a warm water bath that is maintained at a even temperature. It will deliver fork tender salmon every time. Many top-of-the-line restaurants employ this method because of the consistency of the final result. When I am looking for crispy skin on the final dish than I will sear it on the grill or a hot stove top pan prior to placing into the plastic bag.
Recommended Pairings:
Loire River Valley Sauvignon Blanc
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Drinking Wine With Smoked Salmon
From Christmas morning tradition to classic canapés and light summer lunches, quality smoked salmon has a timeless appeal.
For a classic smoked salmon dish with onion, capers and a slice of lemon, a Riesling will be great, said Dinnadge, who picked out Trimbachs Cuvée Frédéric Émile 2011 vintage from the Corigans Mayfair wine list at the time.
Others prefer sparkling wines, and particularly those made with Chardonnay in a blanc de blancs style.
Matthieu Longuère MS, of Le Cordon Bleu London, suggested a vintage English sparkling wine with smoked salmon canapés when writing on the subject for Decanter.com.
Thanks to its high acidity, it should also handle the saltiness of smoked salmon, he said.
For Chardonnay Champagne, smoked salmon on toast is best, with crème fraiche, said Thomas Laculle-Moutard, of Laculle and Moutard Champagne houses, speaking on the sidelines of Sparkling Exploration event in 2017.
Writing in back in 2007, Fiona Beckett recommended manzanilla Sherry with smoked salmon.
not the most usual combination with smoked salmon but the most reliably consistent one, she said. It goes without saying that the Sherry should be served chilled from a freshly opened bottle.
Wine Pairing With Blackened Or Spicy Salmon
A pan-seared blackened salmon, sporting a crispy crust of spices, like cayenne and black pepper, tend to have a spicy, smoky flavor which are balanced beautifully by equally spicy, though still light-bodied, red wines. For the perfect pairing, try a Zinfandel from California or a Grenache-based wine from the southern Rhone Valley. Another way to handle a spicy salmon recipe is by making it harmonize with a contrasting flavor, such as the ripe stone fruit of an off-dry Riesling from Germany. The slight hint of sweetness in a glass of off-dry Riesling will soothe the spice in dishes like a tandoori salmon or an oven-baked salmon with a sriracha sauce.
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Best Wines Perfect For Pairing With Salmon
Planning for a salmon meal tonight? But the dinner would be absolutely incomplete without a lovely wine. Wine, if wrongly paired, can be held responsible for spoiling your evening. Tastessence guides you with 6 best wines to be paired with a variety of salmon recipes.
Planning for a salmon meal tonight? But the dinner would be absolutely incomplete without a lovely wine. Wine, if wrongly paired, can be held responsible for spoiling your evening. Tastessence guides you with 6 best wines to be paired with a variety of salmon recipes.
Wine Pairing With Grilled Salmon
In general, salmon is quite a meaty fish, and as such certain preparations will go nicely with a lighter-bodied red wine. For a salmon grilled over charcoal or wood, the classic wine pairing is a Pinot Noir from Oregon. The bright cherry aromas and earthy nuances of this grape variety will marry perfectly with the charred, caramelized salmon, while its high natural acidity will combat any excess oiliness. Another good match is a Gamay from a Beaujolais Cru , whose very light tannins will not overpower the texture of the fish. Grilled salmon will also be delicious with a fuller-bodied white, like a Viognier from Condrieu, whose voluptuous, slightly oily texture will be congruent with the texture of the fish, thus further enhancing these qualities of our star ingredient.
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Best Side Dishes For Salmon
Stumped with what to serve with salmon? Youve come to the right place!
Fact: salmon is the best fish ever. Well, at least it is to me!
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Whether its pan-fried, baked, or grilled, you cant go wrong. Its rich and savory, yet its so healthy for you. Its extremely quick and easy to prepare, too!
I try my best to incorporate salmon into our weekly meal rotation. But no matter how good salmon is, theres nothing more boring than repetitive meals.
To make things more exciting, I switch up the side dishes all the time. Thankfully, there are an array of dishes that go well with this fatty fish.
Im sharing the best sides that will make salmon shine like the star that it is. From salads and veggies to rice and pasta, Ive got you covered.
Without further ado, here are 23 spectacular sides for salmon.
Lets start off with a simple dish that delivers maximum flavors. This lemon pasta is light, refreshing, and done in just 15 minutes!
Lemon, cream, and white wine make up the sauce of this pasta.
Together with al dente noodles, they make one heck of a dish. Add a piece of crispy pan-fried salmon on top, and youll have a hearty and healthy dinner.
Sweet and crisp beans are pretty fantastic on their own, so you dont need a lot to make them stand out. In this recipe, all it takes are butter, garlic, and lemon zest.
You can already smell the fragrance just by picturing it!
Best Wine To Pair With Sea Bass
Sea bass may seem like it falls into the category of meaty fish alongside tuna and salmon, but its mild flavoring keeps it out of the club. The best kind of wine to pair it with is a lively white with lots of flavors like a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Grigio. This will allow your palette to experience lots more flavors than it would with just the fish, and prevent the dish from falling flat.
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Pairing Wine With A Salmon Chowder
Salmon chowder can be quite bland unless you add spices and herbs to match the richness of the salmon. Adding dill and dried tarragon and an extra layer of flavor. Onions, carrots, celery and corn are traditional chowder ingredients. I use mashed potatoes vs. new potatoes and it adds a creaminess to the final dish.
Recommended Pairings:
Best Wine To Pair With Crab Legs
Choosing a wine to go with crab legs depends on how you plan on having the crab legs. A solid all-rounder is of course the Chardonnay, but if you want to try and get a little more out of your wine then go for something that offers a little more fruit.
If you are serving the crab legs with a lemon dressing, pair it with a Pinot Grigio to really bring out the citrus in both. However, if you plan on having the crabs legs warm then try a Riesling, which will bring out the natural sweetness in both the dish and the wine.
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