F&B Pairing: Which wine to pair with salmon?
Fish with red wine? The French Cellar’s sommelier, Nicolas Rebut, recommends this unusual and interesting combination for red wine lovers.
Salmon is a fish with many health benefits for both your brain and heart. It helps that it is delicious to eat as well. Its succulent meat has strong flavours and a delicate texture. When baked with herbs and sprinkled with a dash of lemon juice, it tastes fresh and zesty. Here are some tips to determine the best wine pairing to go with our sumptuous salmon recipe.
Recipe: Salmon fillet and potato scales.
Which kind of wine to pair with baked salmon?
As salmon is a fish with stronger flavours compared to a normal white-fleshed fish, we recommend venturing away from the conventional ‘white wine with fish’ pairing. Why not try red wine instead?
How the salmon is cooked will determine the appropriate type of red wine to pair it with. If the salmon is grilled or seared, a red wine with heavier weight like one from Rhone Valley or Languedoc would work well. However, in this case we are looking at a baked salmon. So, the red wine pairing that we recommend is of a lighter weight.
An original pairing with a red wine?
You can try pairing the baked salmon with a Pinot Noir from Alsace. The Saint Hippolyte Silbergrub, Domaine François Bléger, 2011 fits this description well. Its fruity body provides complements the salmon in an interesting way. The wine’s freshness and acidity help bring excitement to the dish. Further, the additional aromas of pepper and vanilla make it a savoury pairing.
Adventureous pairing with a Rosé wine?
If you are willing to try something different, you can choose to pair the salmon with a Rose wine instead. The Château Simone Rosé, Palette, 2013 will do just that. Its fruity and minty body adds interesting layers of flavour to the salmon.
Wine service temperature: 10-12°C
Recommendations from Nicolas Rebut, Sommelier at The French Cellar, Singapore.
