basil & salt magazine

What can go wrong grilling a great piece of fish?  Pair your dish with the  wrong wine and it just may go south in a hurry.  I eat fish, I love fish. From sushi to a beautiful grilled trout and everything in between. These meals are enjoyable and fun to pair wine with.

Grilled Halibut;  From a flavor profile, this fish by itself is light and can lack flavor. Grill it up and serve it with a Lime and Cilantro butter sauce and now we are talking.   A great suggestion, Chenin Blanc, a crisp, acidic white wine that is screaming pair me with your dish.   A favorite of mine as of late has been the Ballentine Vineyards Chenin Blanc from Napa. A dry Chenin with citrus and floral flavors, this is a must try.

Grilled Swordfish;  Top with or add to the side, a Cucumber and melon salsa. Might I suggest an Albarino or a Cava Sparkling wine from Spain.  Albarino is a grape than can yield a very mineral driven and structured wine.  Paired with this swordfish dish, it is a little piece of culinary heaven. The Lagar de Cervera with green apple and pineapple flavors is a wine to be enjoyed. Since we are talking about Cava, a mention needs to be made about the Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad. A sparkling wine blended with Macabeo and Parellada grapes. This is a wine with incredible balance and is quite a bargain when you realize it is aged over 30 months on all of the riddling is done by hand.

Trout;  If trout is on the menu, then I suggest a Tuscan Grilled Trout with fresh Rosemary. Yes, I am getting hungry just writing this.  A favorite wine that I like to pair with this is the Maso Poli Pinot Grigio from Trentino. With pear and apricot flavors, this is a Pinot Grigio with complexity and substance. It will hold its own with several dishes and the Tuscan Trout is one of them.

Salmon;  We might as well end with a favorite, salmon, nicely grilled with a lime butter sauce. The wine of late that I find pairs nicely with this dish is the Airfield Estates Unoaked Chardonnay.  A Washington State beauty that is crisp and a perfect pairing with this dish. Flavors of citrus and a clean taste without the oak, make this wine desirable. Try this pairing soon, you will not be sorry.

As always, this is just a small sample of grilled fish and wine combinations. I hope you will try them out and enjoy.

Cheers until next time!!

I eat fish, I love fish. From sushi to a beautiful grilled trout and everything in between. These meals are enjoyable and fun to pair wine with.

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Note From the Editor;  Jack has mentioned several dishes in his article that I will post as soon as possible, so stay tuned!