Pairings | Chablis

The best wine matches for fishcakes

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on March 27 2023 at 14:51

Fishcakes are one of the ultimate comfort foods - but is there an equally comforting wine pairing?

In general they go well with dry white wines, however it depends a little on what fish you use and whether you’re serving a buttery sauce alongside

Salmon fishcakes
Salmon fishcakes are quite rich and often served with a citrussy butter sauce. I tend to favour the same types of wine as I’d pick for a fish pie - unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Blanc or a Sauvignon/Semillon blend such as you find in Bordeaux or the Margaret River region of Australia

White fish cakes with parsley
Not being quite as rich these are fine with a lighter, crisper white such as Albarino, Muscadet, Picpoul de Pinet or Pinot Grigio. A minerally Sauvignon Blanc like a Sancerre is a good pairing too

Thai fish cakes
Here the seasoning is all-important together with the sweet chilli sauce with which they’re often served. I’d tend to go for a dry Riesling - particularly Clare or Eden Valley Riesling though you could also drink a New Zealand - or other zesty Sauvignon Blanc. Witbier/bière blanche (wheat beer) is also a really good match

Photo ©mizina at fotolia.com

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