Pairings | Smoked haddock

Six of the best matches for Bacchus and Bacchus-based wine blends

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on April 22 2022 at 06:51

If you've bough a bottle of English wine to celebrate St George's Day or English Wine Week you may be wondering what sort of food suits it best.

Chances are it may be Bacchus, a cross between Müller Thurgau and Silvaner-Riesling that tastes quite similar to a sauvignon blanc. It works well with the sort of food that pairs with sauvignon but is usually a degree or so lighter in alcohol so may not be able to cope with such intense flavours. English whites also have a delicate elderflower character which makes me think of classic summery English food.

Here are six pairings I think work really well.

*fresh goats cheese and goats cheese salads. Just as sauvignon loves goats cheese so do English whites

*spring vegetables such as asparagus, peas and broad beans - such as this dish of asparagus with gnocchi and a wild garlic pesto.

*fresh seafood particularly crab salads or sandwiches and prawns

*other light salads without powerfully flavoured dressings - a seafood or chicken salad for example or even a fresh tomato salad

*poached or grilled salmon without a rich sauce. (Mayonnaise is fine. So is cucumber which is lovely with this style of wine)

*light fish dishes like the celery risotto with Westcombe cheddar and smoked haddock I had at Pump House in Bristol a while back. Simply pan-fried or grilled fish is perfect too.

Photo ©Linda at fotolia.com

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Tags: st george's day risotto broad beans food:pasta, rice & noodles peas asparagus food:veg & salads smoked haddock poached salmon salmon crab food:fish & shellfish Bacchus English white wine English wine drink:white wine

Comments: 2 (Add)

Mark Tennent on July 5 2021 at 18:50

I should have added that our local Highdown Vineyard, had a very acceptable Bacchus which we helped to plants and pick and worked in the vineyard for a freebee or three. The vineyard was sold a few years ago, prices rose rapidly and the on-site shop and wine bar was closed. Which was a great loss as it is next door to our favourite strawberry and pick you own farm and we always need a libation after a heavy afternoon slaving in the fields.

Mark Tennent on July 1 2021 at 12:13

I usually find the best thing to go with a bottle of Bacchus is another bottle (or two) of Bacchus.

Have you noticed how the prices are shooting up? Aldi did a fair priced one from Bowler and Brolly but that all disappeared rapidly. They now offer a bland mix which includes some Bacchus. Waitrose wine cellar have a good selection with a starting point below a tenner as well as Surrey Gold, the latter often having a petillance which I quite like.

The "other" English wine I struggle to find is Ortega with seemingly only Biddenden offering it but at a price that it's lower cost to drive there to buy a case.

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