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

Best food pairings with sauvignon blanc

Sauvignon blanc is many people’s favourite wine but what type of food pairs with it best?

As with other grape varieties its style varies markedly from one part of the world to the other - from the crisp minerally whites of the Loire to the exuberant gooseberry and passionfruit flavours of sauvignons from New Zealand’s Marlborough region.

Although many are interchangeable so far as food pairings are concerned others suit specific types of dishes and ingredients

Sauvignon blanc food pairing guide

Minerally sauvignon blancs

For instance: Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé and sauvignon blanc from Tasmania

This is the style I’d pair with simple, barely seasoned ingredients such as raw and lightly cooked shellfish like oysters and shell-on prawns, fresh crab and simply grilled fish such as sea bass.

They also go well with dishes that contain raw or barely cooked tomato such as gazpacho, tomato consommé or tomato vinaigrettes and young goats’ cheeses - or salads that contain goats cheese and have an affinity with fresh herbs especially dill

And this style of sauvignon is a good wine match with Japanese dishes such as sushi and sashimi, seafood-based steamed and fried dim sum and smoked salmon, particularly if the smoke is delicate.

Citrussy sauvignon blancs

For instance: unoaked white Bordeaux, sauvignon blanc from the Adelaide Hills and Chilean sauvignon blanc.

I like this more citrussy style with grilled fish , especially oily fish such as sardines and mackerel, big garlicky prawns and chargrilled squid. They also pair well with fried fish like goujons, whitebait and fish and chips and with simply grilled chicken or lamb (without a powerful marinade)

In terms of ethnic cuisines they work well with Greek and Mexican food and other fresh-tasting dishes with avocados, tomatoes, green onions, olives and sharp cheeses like feta (though be careful not to neutralise their character with over-lemony dressings)

They also pair well with cheeses flavoured with garlic and herbs such as Le Roulé and Boursin. And this, in my view, is the best type of sauvignon blanc to drink with globe artichokes.

Aromatic/grassy/’herbaceous’ sauvignon blancs and sauvignon blends

For instance New Zealand sauvignon blanc and wines from cooler regions elsewhere such as South Africa’s Elgin region

I tend to reach for these with salads especially if they contain seafood and/or ‘grassy’ ingredients such as asparagus, pea-shoots, green peppers and herbs.

You can drink them with similar dishes to minerally sauvignon blancs but where the flavours are more pronounced e.g. seafood with south-east Asian flavours such as lime, chilli and coriander or Thai fish cakes. Try them with pea soups and dishes accompanied by pea purées too.

See also The best food matches with New Zealand sauvignon blanc

Oaked sauvignons and sauvignon/semillon blends

For instance: oaked white Bordeaux and fumé blanc styles

You can drink these where you might reach for a chardonnay or straight semillon - with white meats such as chicken or veal especially if accompanied by a creamy sauce or with spring vegetables such as asparagus and peas. Pasta dishes with spring vegetables and buttery or creamy sauces work well too.

They also suit simply grilled or pan-fried salmon, scallops and lightly smoked fish such as smoked eel and trout.

Top image © HLPhoto at fotolia.com

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

Roast gammon

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

What’s the best wine pairing for tuna?

Tuna is a meaty fish which adapts just as well to a red wine as to a white. So which to choose?

There are two guidelines to consider when it comes to pairing wine with tuna: 

* First, how it’s cooked. Is it rare, seared or preserved (canned or bottled)?

* Second, the style of the dish. Does it incorporate Japanese flavours? Are there other ingredients on the plate that might influence the match such as a citrussy glaze or salsa?

In this guide, I’ll delve into the best wines to pair with different styles of tuna, covering everything from crisp whites that cut through the richness to bold reds that stand up to more intense preparations. You’ll also find links to some specific matches that were particularly worth remembering.

Wine with tuna quick guide:

• Raw tuna: Chilled sake or a very dry white (e.g. Chablis)
• Seared tuna: A light red (e.g. Chinon) or Spanish rosé
• Grilled tuna: Syrah or Barbera
• Canned tuna: Dry Italian white (e.g. Verdicchio) or Provençal rosé

Of course, it all depends on the specific dish. Read on for my favourite wine pairings for tuna you might like to try.

Popular ways of serving tuna and the wines to go with them

Seared tuna
A light red or strong dry southern French or Spanish rosé is perfect with seared tuna - a Loire red such as a Chinon or Bourgueil or a light red burgundy if it’s simply seasoned, a fruitier New World Pinot Noir if you’re giving it a spicier treatment. If it’s chargrilled on the barbecue and served rare like a steak you can bring on a beefier red such as a Syrah or Barbera.

Seared tuna with sesame and Elephant Hill Syrah

Raw or near-raw tuna e.g. sashimi. tuna tartare
Popular in Japanese-style dishes so may well include Japanese ingredients with a touch of sweetness such as mirin or Japanese rice vinegar. I personally enjoy chilled sake with this style of presentation but a very dry white such as a Chablis, Muscadet-sur-lie or Grüner Veltliner also works well as does, more surprisingly, a lush white grenache

Tuna tataki and grenache blanc

Tuna tartare with wasabi aioli and grüner veltliner

Tuna carpaccio
Sliced raw tuna, often dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. It’s light and delicate so needs a wine that doesn’t overpower the fish. Similar pairings to tuna tartare work here, particularly a mineral-driven dry white. You could also go for a light bodied Pinot Grigio or even champagne. 

Glazed tuna with citrus e.g. with yuzu or lime and coriander
Still possible to serve a light red (citrus will accentuate its fruitiness) but you might also want to consider a fruity white such as a Semillon-Sauvignon blend, an oaked Sauvignon Blanc, a Verdelho or a dry Riesling.

Salads with tinned or bottled tuna e.g. salade Niçoise, tonno e fagioli
Something quite light and quaffable. A inexpensive dry Italian white such as a Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi or a dry Provençal rosé such as a Bandol rosé

Salade niçoise and rosé

Tuna pasta bake
Not my favourite way of eating tuna, if truth be told, but as it’s creamy and slightly cheesy an unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay should hit the spot.

Photo ©petrrgoskov at fotolia.com