Pairings | Raw fish
Sashimi, ceviche and crudo: what wine to pair with raw fish (new post)
Raw fish has become increasingly fashionable over the last few years, not just in Japanese, Peruvian and Mexican restaurants but in many other ones too.
But what type of wine should you pair with dishes like carpaccio, ceviche, crudo, sashimi or a tuna tartare?
First, it depends on the type of fish more than the way it’s cut. Scallops, seabass or prawns for example are going to be lighter and more delicate in flavour than salmon, tuna or mackerel but it’s the dressing or dipping sauce that is most likely to determine the match.
That will mainly depend on the origin of the dish. Italian raw fish dishes tend to be simply dressed while Japanese and other Asian ones can have much more complex nutty flavours.
As a big raw fish fan I’ve given a lot of thought to the subject. Here are the wines I serve at home and look out for on restaurant wine lists together with my favourite pairings for specific dishes
Generally reliable choices
Dry white wines and the keyword is dry, particularly if you’re talking sashimi.
Most white wines are described as dry so let’s be more specific. Young, fresh, unoaked, modest in alcohol, not overly fruity (so not a New Zealand sauvignon blanc I suggest unless there’s a punchy dressing). High in acidity. Pure and simple, rather than complex.
Good examples are albarino and alvarinho (sometimes labelled as Vinho Verde), Muscadet, Picpoul de Pinet, Petit Chablis, a good pinot grigio from Trentino or the Alto Adige, carricante from Etna in Sicily, grüner veltliner from Austria and koshu from Japan.
Ultra dry Provence, Corsican or Languedoc rosé - so pale it’s almost a white - also works well
as, of course, does chilled sake
Italian style crudo or carpaccio dressed with olive oil and lemon
As you can see from this post sauvignon blanc and similarly citrussy whites pair well thanks to the olive oil rather than the citrus which can cancel out the lemon in the wine. Zesty Italian whites such as Greco di Tufo, passerina and pecorino are also good options as would be Greece’s assyrtiko and Crete’s Vidiano.
As suggested above you could also could try a pale Provence or Corsican rosé
An orange dressing on the other hand can take a more aromatic wine as this pairing of sea bream carpaccio with Hugel Gentil, a blend of riesling Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer demonstrates. Or dry riesling on its own. See also ceviche below.
Japanese-style raw fish
At its simplest this might just involve soy sauce and wasabi but could well be a more complex dressing or dip involving mirin, miso or sesame oil. Either way there’s an element of umami that indicates that sake - chilled rather than warm - would be a particularly good pairing.
If you’ve got a selection of sashimi in front of you with high quality fish, a daiginjo or junmai daiginjo sake would be a great choice but the dry white wines I’ve outlined above would also work. Or try a brut nature champagne I.e. one without any ‘dosage’ or added sugar.
More full-flavoured dressings and marinades could take a richer white like a white grenache or a fuller style of grüner veltliner as in this pairing.
There are also Japanese flavours - yuzu and sesame - in this dish that went particularly well with a sauvignon-semillon blend.
See also what to drink with sushi and
8 foods you might be surprised to find pair brilliantly with sake
Ceviche and Tiradito
Ceviche - and tiradito - which is basically a variation on ceviche have brighter zestier flavours than Italian or Japanese preparations. Often involving tropical fruits or fruit juices like mango along with chilli and fresh coriander.
As I discovered on a trip to Chile a few years back they tend to pair with with sauvignon blanc, particularly Chilean sauvignon which has a distinctively citrussy flavour of its own.
Or, if you’re averse to sauvignon, try a crisp vinho verde which paired really well with this trout dish which was cured in verdita, a Mexican drink made from lime and pineapple juice, jalapeno pepper, coriander and mint.
Citrus - in this case lime which is a common ingredient in ceviche dressings - can also steer you towards Australian Riesling as it did with the salmon dish above or, channelling the South American vibe, Argentina’s Torrontes as in this scallop ceviche I also succesfully paired it with Friulano, an aromatic white wine from Italy, earlier this year.
If the ceviche includes fruit like mango you could even go for a fruity rosé like this one.
Finally, Chile’s Pisco sour is brilliant with ceviche - the only downside being it’s nigh on impossible to get the local limon de Pica, which are are actually rather more like small lemons than limes, in the UK. However I suggest a way round it here.
Poke
Poke - which originates from Hawaii - is historically based on raw fish but the poke bowls that have taken off more recently include vegetables and other ingredients that make them more like a raw fish salad than a hero raw fish dish. As a result you can go for a brighter fruitier wine than with raw fish on its own. A New Zealand sauvignon blanc, say, or a fruity rosé.
See What wine (and other drinks) to pair with poké
Does red wine go with raw fish?
Generally I’d say white is preferable but if you’re not a white wine drinker an inexpensive, unoaked young red burgundy, red Sancerre or other light pinot noir would work, especially with tuna. Avoid too much oak or too high a level of alcohol though.
What to drink with oysters
Oysters really come into a category of their own so I suggest you check out the link below for a full range of options. But the ultra dry whites I recommend at the top of this post all work well. And Guinness of course!
The best wine (and other) pairings with oysters
Top photo by norikko at shutterstock.com
What wine (and other drinks) to pair with poke (updated)
If you haven’t heard of poke - the Hawaiian dish of cubed raw fish usually with rice and/or vegetables - you soon will. It’s everywhere (and pronounced, by the way, pokay not poke).
It’s not generally spicy so you don’t have to contend with that but usually has a dressing based on soy sauce which gives it an umami (savoury) character.
It’s the sort of light dish you might have at lunchtime so alcohol might not even be appropriate though there are definitely wines - more often that not white or rosé - that will work well with it.
There are also many alcohol-free options that go well, particularly citrussy ones, given that it more often than not features seafood.
Here are eight suggestions
Riesling
A crisp fresh young riesling - from the Okanagan Valley or Washington State, for example - would be delicious
Sauvignon Blanc
Generally good where seafood is involved and poke is no exception. I’d choose a citrussy style from Chile for example rather than the more powerful, punchy sauvignons from New Zealand
Grüner Veltliner
If in doubt turn to Austria’s Asian food-friendly Grüner Veltliner. Especially with Asian flavours
A fruity rosé
I tried a low alcohol (10%) off-dry English rosé based on pinot noir and meunier called A Little Bit from Westwell in Kent with a salmon poke and it was spot on.
Sake
Poke is actually not that different in flavour from sushi and although the Japanese wouldn’t traditionally drink a rice-based drink with rice there’s no reason why you shouldn’t.
A good crisp pils
C’mon! You can do better than a Bud! Buy a proper German pils or a crisp craft lager. They’ll both pair well with poke.
Pina colada
Bring back those retro cocktails! We should stop being sniffy about pina colada and drink it with the kind of food for which it was intended.
And thinking pineapple and coconut, pineapple juice would also be a good (and appropriately Hawaiian) pairing as would ultra-fashionable sweet, creamy coconut water.
If you want to know more about poke read this excellent introduction from Bon Appetit.
Photo ©laplateresca at fotolia.com
The best food pairings for Grüner Veltliner
Winemakers like to tell you that their wines go with everything but in the case of Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s best known white wine, it’s true.
Short of Sunday roasts and large juicy steaks you can pair it with practically anything.
There are of course different styles but the one you’re most likely to come across is the crisp, fresh young style that typifies most inexpensive Grüners. What makes them distinctive is a herbal note and a distinctive white peppery twist.
In Austria they would be widely drunk with cold meats, salads, light vegetable dishes and fish - think the sort of dishes you would serve with a sauvignon blanc or a riesling. Further afield they’re a great choice in Asian or Asian-fusion restaurants especially with Thai and Vietnamese food
Asparagus
Austrians love asparagus - there are whole asparagus menus in the spring and early summer. It’s mainly white asparagus served either in a salad or warm with hollandaise but you can equally well drink it with the green variety. See also this match with asparagus soup.
Artichokes
Not many wines pair well with artichokes. Young fresh dry Grüner is one of them
Smoked ham, especially cut wafer thin as the Austrians do it
Smoked fish like smoked salmon or trout. Even smoked eel though I think riesling is better
Raw fish such as sushi, sashimi, carpaccio and tartares - especially with Asian seasoning like ginger or wasabi as you can see from this post.
Salads
Especially seafood salads with an Asian twist and salads with apple, kohlrabi or cucumber
Dishes with herbs
Grüner has a herbal edge itself and pairs beautifully with dishes that contain herbs especially dill, tarragon, mint and parsley. So salads as above, or chicken with a herb crust for example.
Light vegetable dishes such as braised fennel a courgette/zucchini gratin or a vegetable-based quiche. (Like an asparagus one, obviously)
Leafy greens especially cabbage, sprouts and kale. Think 'green wine, green vegetables'
Spicy but not over-hot south-east Asian dishes with ginger or galangal and lemongrass. Like dim sum, light stir-fries and mild Thai curries. Grüner is especially good with Vietnamese food particularly summer rolls and noodle salads.
Fried foods, schnitzel being the obvious example but you could happily drink Grüner with fish and chips or even fried chicken.
Fresh cheeses like goats cheese, young pecorino or mozzarella.
You can also pair Gruner Veltliner with many seafood and vegetable-based pasta dishes or risottos though for preference I'd go for an Italian white and I don’t think Grüner works with cooked tomato sauces.
Richer styles match well with roast pork or veal especially with a creamy sauce but not with an intense meaty ‘jus’.
Image © Pixelot - Fotolia.com
The best food pairings for Vermentino
Vermentino is incredibly versatile - a brilliant wine pairing for anything fishy, herby or citrussy and a great wine for spring and summer drinking.
Most comes from Italy - Sardinia being a particularly good source - but it’s also produced in Liguria, Tuscany, Corsica, Provence and the Languedoc where it's also known as Rolle.
With crisp fresh young vermentinos I’d serve:
* Raw and marinated shellfish such as oysters and carpaccios
* Fritto misto or other fried fish - I had a lovely side of fried lemon and sage (below) at Spring recently
* Simply grilled or baked fish such as seabass especially with fresh olive oil or a salsa verde. Grilled squid. Grilled prawns or shrimp - try this recipe for prawn brochettes from Bruce Poole
* Spaghetti alle vongole, linguini with crab and other pasta dishes with seafood
* Spring and early summer vegetables such as asparagus, peas, broad (fava) beans, fennel and even artichokes
* Raw and lightly cooked vegetables such as marinated courgettes and leeks vinaigrette
* Dishes where herbs are predominant such as pasta or gnocchi with pesto
Late harvested or more mature vermentinos pair well with:
* Richer fish dishes such as lobster or lobster rice (a local Sardinian speciality)
* Light meat dishes such as roast veal, baby lamb and suckling pig.
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