The best wines to pair with fish soups and stews (new)

Fish soup is often more of a main course than a starter so a dish you might well want to pair with wine. And depending how much fish it has in it it may be more like a stew.

There are some famous ones like Provencal fish soup, bouillabaisse, chowder and cioppino which all tend to have some quite feisty flavours but at the end of the day we’re talking about fish which generally means white wine rather than red.

If you want to know what wine goes with a particular fish soup or stew think about the areas that fish soups come from it should give you a steer - the south of France, the east coast of the US, even Brazil.

What would they drink locally? (That could be beer, just as easily as wine ...)

Here are some suggestions

Provencal fish soup

This dark intense fish soup which you also find in the Languedoc is served with croutons and rouille - a spicy, garlicky mayonnaise which makes it quite punchy. Personally I like a Picpoul with it but a crisp dry Provence rosé will work too and actually this is one of those fish soups that is fine with a red. Something like an inexpensive Côtes du Rhône or Costières de Nîmes.

Bouillabaisse

Another southern French fish stew - chunkier than the Provencal fish soup - and not quite as intense. Sometimes it includes fennel or pernod, maybe saffron or a touch of orange which inclines me more towards white Côte du Rhône or similar white blend of grenache,marsanne, roussanne, and viognier.

But given the amount of fish in it classic fish whites such as Picpoul, pinot grigio and albarino should work too or a strong, savoury dry southern French rosé like a Bandol

Bourride

Also from the south of France. Creamier than boullabaisse and quite garlicky. I’d try a rolle aka vermentino. Cassis would be great if you can lay your hands on a bottle, Picpoul would work again if you can’t. And Gavi from neighbouring Italy should work too.

photo by SYED IBAD RM at shutterstock.com

Crab or lobster bisque

Given this is a luxurious soup I’d go for a white burgundy or other creamy chardonnay or chenin blanc

Photo by SYED IBAD RM at shutterstock.com

Chowder

Chowder is characterized by its creaminess as much as its fishiness which suggests a light, not too oaky chardonnay. Chablis would be perfect. You could also try a smooth dry Italian white like a Gavin di Gavi or a Soave

The same type of wines will go with the Scottish dish Cullen Skink which is made with smoked haddock though you could also pair it with a dry cider or light malt whisky.

Cioppino and other tomato-based fish stews

Crisp dry white wines like pinot grigio, alberino and alvarinho would all work

Tom yum. Photo by Melandaaini at shutterstock.com

Tom yum (Thai fish soup)

Often served as part of a Thai meal that includes other dishes. Limey rieslings like Clare and Eden Valley riesling from South Australia go well with Thai food.

Prawn laksa

Laksa goes particularly well with dry(ish) riesling like the German riesling in this post. Alsace or New Zealand pinot gris should work too.

The best food pairings for prawns or shrimp

Moqueca

Brazilian fish stew - often served with corn. Brazilians would almost certainly drink a light lager with it. I also like the idea of a Torrontes from Argentina. There’s a recipe for moqueca on the site here.

Waterzooi - Belgian fish soup

Given this comes from Belgium it really has to be beer rather than wine. I’d go for a witbier or other wheat beer myself but you could go for a similar wine to a chowder.

Top photo by javarman at shutterstock.com

What wine to pair with corn

Eating corn on the cob is one of the pleasures of high summer especially now there are so many different ways to cook it. But if you love corn or sweetcorn what wine should you pair with it?

There’s one wine that really stands out for me and that’s chardonnay - especially when you slather the corn in butter. But grilled corn too works well especially with a full bodied oaky chardonnay (though see my note below about south-east asian flavours)

Really it depends whether you’re having the corn on its own or, more likely, with other elements of a meal as in a barbecue

Other rich whites worth trying are oaked white rioja, Spanish godello, fiano from southern Italy and old vine chenin blanc or Cape white blends from South Africa

Corn is of course a key ingredient in Mexican cuisine - think tortillas, tacos and tamales which may all inspire you to drink beer but wine can work too depending on the filling. (See this post on tacos)

If you’re serving corn alongside barbecued meat, on the other hand, you may want to go for a red like a mencia (again from Spain), rioja or a grenache or GSM blend

Griddled corn with chilli and lime and other south-east Asian flavours

Once you introduce zesty lime, chilli coriander or other Asian flavours think dry riesling or New Zealand sauvignon blanc rather than chardonnay.

Sauvignon would work with a corn salad with feta too, as would assyrtiko.

Corn fritters

Fried food goes with bubbles and fritters are no exception. Nothing fancy - a cava or a crémant would be perfect

Or for a non-alcoholic pairing you might want to try these sweetcorn, feta and green chilli waffles with pink grapefruit juice, a previous match of the week.

Cornbread or muffins

Unlikely to be served on their own so pair with whatever else is on the plate whether it’s a barbecue or brunch. As a matter of interest I once found a coffee-infused pale ale was brilliant with a jalapeno cornbread! Coffee too if it’s brunch, obviously.

Creamed corn or corn chowder

We’re back at chardonnay again - a fresh creamy one rather than a full-bodied oaky one, I suggest. Chablis, for example. Or a smooth Italian white like a Gavi di Gavi or a Soave

Tamales

Although the stuffing is based on corn (masa) it’s generally mixed with another ingredient which may be more important to match. Chardonnay again would work with seafood or chicken but if it’s pork, beef or lamb try a young rioja or other tempranillo, a petite sirah or a malbec. (There’s a good explanation about tamales on the Spruce Eats website for those of you who are not familiar with them)

See also Ottolenghi’s slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust

Polenta

Generally served with a stew or roast meat so I’d again be inclined to focus on that though maybe make it an Italian red like barbera.

Image by Rimma Bondarenko at shutterstock.com

8 great food pairings for stout and porter

Although there are obviously differences between the two types of beer, dark stouts and porters tend to pair with similar types of food. Here are my top matches ...

Oysters and Guinness is one of the beer world’s classic pairings only bettered in my experience by an oyster rarebit. A creamy chowder with oysters and scallops is also great with a lighter stout

Dark beefy or venison stews like my recipe for braised beef with port and porter. Ox cheeks, ox tail all love stouts and porters

Steak pies such as this steak and stilton pie I enjoyed with a London porter or a hot game pie

Boiled bacon and cabbage - a classic St Patrick’s Day pairing with a smooth dark creamy Irish stout. Mmmm.

American-style barbecue especially BBQd ribs or smoked brisket - one for an American-style porter - even a smoked one if you want to layer on some extra smokey flavour.

Stilton and similar mellow blue cheeses - porter works in the same way as port: a strong dark contrast. Brilliant.

Dark chocolate cakes and desserts - If you don’t have a very sweet tooth and enjoy black coffee with your chocolate you’ll enjoy a porter too. A stronger, sweeter imperial stout is arguably better still. Especially with brownies.

Vanilla ice cream - Imperial stout and ice cream makes a great float. Here’s Garrett Oliver’s Imperial Stout Float from the Brooklyn Brewery

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