Pairings | Roast gammon
The best food matches for Semillon and Semillon-Sauvignon blends
One of the world’s most underrated grapes yet capable of making some of its most delicious dry whites, Sémillon isn’t on the radar for many. So if you get hold of a bottle what should you pair with it?
Although there’s a marked difference between young unoaked Sémillon and those blended with its habitual stablemate Sauvignon Blanc it helps to look at it as similar to but less pungent than Sauvignon. Without that marked green, grassy edge that can make sauvignon too much of a good thing with foods that have herbaceous note of their own such as asparagus, peas and mangetout.
If I had to sum up the ideal match in a few words think shellfish, fish and spring vegetables. Here are a few more specific suggestions:
Hunter Valley Semillon and other lighter styles
The Hunter Valley in Australia is the place to go for Semillon and has its most distinctive style. Fresh and zippy when it’s young, more complex and oily (in a nice way) as it ages this is the perfect wine for raw and lightly cooked shellfish especially with Asian flavours. (Think the delicious kind of food you get in Sydney.) Remember Hunter Valley wines are light - generally only about 11-12% ABV. Try them with:
Oysters, especially with an Asian dressing - the best match bar none
Fresh crab
Clams
Sashimi
Seafood salads
Spring veg such as asparagus and peas - a pasta primavera would work well with a Hunter Valley Semillon
Dishes with fennel
Dishes with a touch of citrus
Lightly cooked fish dishes such as seabass and razor clams
Fried soft shell crab - I owe this one to my colleague Victoria Moore
Salt and pepper squid
Young goats’ cheese or salads with goats’ cheese
For older vintages try smoked fish such as smoked salmon, smoked trout and - this is surprisingly good - kedgeree
Barossa Valley Semillon and other richer styles
Fuller and riper, often with a lick of oak, Southern Australian Semillons can take richer fish and shellfish dishes and light meats like chicken and pork - again with an Asian accent. Try:
Scallops (probably my number one choice)
Grilled lobster, prawns or Moreton Bay bugs
Salmon and salmon trout
Fish or chicken in a creamy sauce such as this kingklip with prawns and a white wine sauce I had in South Africa
Seafood risotto
Thickly sliced ham off the bone
Pork or chicken satay
Other spicy but not over-hot pork dishes
Grilled and barbecued fish
Semillon-Sauvignon blends
Found chiefly in the Margaret River region of Western Australia and in the Bordeaux region of France where it’s mainly oaked
For Australian sem-sauv I’d go for much the same sort of dishes as I would for a Hunter Valley Sémillon - perhaps a shade richer or with a little more citrus. This dish of pan-fried scallops with orange braised chicory, celeriac remoulade and lotus crisps was a perfect match or you could go for scallops with a pea purée. It would also stand up to a mild Thai green curry.
With oaked white Bordeaux I’d be looking at more classic French or European-style dishes like this light raviolo of prawns, simply cooked fish in butter like a Dover sole, poached salmon or a posh fish pie.
Photo © vsl at shutterstock.com
15 Easter wine pairings to learn by heart
If you're wondering what wines you should buy for Easter weekend here's quick guide to what I think are the best Easter wine pairings.
As with my previous ‘learn by heart’ posts it's a simple way to remember great food and wine matches at a busy time of year. There are of course other possibilities to which the links will guide you.
Colomba Pasquale and extra dry prosecco
Colomba Pasquale is the traditional Italian Easter cake and ‘extra dry’ prosecco perversely a slightly sweeter style that is perfect with sweeter things.
You can drink so many red wines with lamb (Chianti and Cabernet being two other favourites) but rioja is such a crowd-pleaser. I’d go for a reserva myself.
Roast chicken (or turkey) and pinot noir
Hey, it’s spring (or supposed to be) so lighten up with a brighter, fruitier red. Pinot is perfect
Baked or roast ham or gammon could also take a pinot but I’m rooting for a good Beaujolais like a Morgon
And yes, here’s pinot noir again! But you can’t find a better pairing with duck. Especially with peas.
Roast kid and Chianti
Kid would be a traditional Mediterranean choice for the Easter feast so I’d be inclined to go for an Italian, Greek or Portuguese red. Chianti is the easy-to-memorise option.
Depends how you cook it but salmon pretty well always works with chardonnay. Especially en croute or in a creamy sauce. (If it’s smoked salmon try sauvignon blanc.)
Maybe you’re planning a fish pie for Good Friday? Again chardonnay is a reliable match - I’d go for a Chablis.
Asparagus and Sancerre
There are major arguments over which wine suits asparagus best but Sancerre (or Pouilly Fumé) does it for me. Especially if goats cheese is involved. Other optionshere
Scrambled eggs and champagne (or cheaper fizz)
What else are you going to drink for Easter brunch? Seriously - eggs and bubbles is the way to go. (It works with eggs benedict too)
Torta pasquale (Italian spinach and ricotta pie) and Soave
Or any other smooth dry Italian white come to that. Like Gavi. Here's a lovely recipe from Gennaro Contaldo or, following the recommendation below, from Rachel Roddy. A great option for vegetarians.
Simnel cake and orange pekoe tea
Perfect combination!
Hot cross buns and marsala
I owe this one to the Italian wine buyer at M & S Jeneve Williams. (They have a really well-priced half bottle of marsala you should try which is no doubt why they came up with the suggestion!). Nice recipe here too.
Easter eggs and Brachetto d’Aqui
If you’re scoffing the remains of the kids’ Easter eggs this sweet, gently sparkling Italian red is hard to beat. But also hard to find, unfortunately. If you’re stumped try a rosato frizzante (pink prosecco by another name though they’re not allowed to call it that)
Lemon tart and late harvest riesling
Lemon tart can be tricky with wine - the more intensely lemony the tougher it is. The trick if you want to serve a dessert wine with it? Add cream either to the tart or a good splodge over the top. Late harvest riesling has the acidity to cope
You may also find these posts useful:
What sort of food to pair with prosecco
20 food and wine pairings to learn by heart
The best wine matches with salt cod (traditional Good Friday fare in Mediterranean countries such as Spain and Portugal.)
Photo by Elena Veselova at shutterstock.com
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