Which wine with fish?

[TpdNotts]

This Friday I'm doing dinner for 5 friends. I'm doing a linguine, crab & asparagus dish for starter, sea bream and veg with salsa verde for main and a banana cheesecake with toffee sauce for pud. I know fish dishes usually warrant white wine but I wondered if anyone had suggestions for a really nice vino that they enjoy with fish, and that won't break the bank!?

Teresa

[jimothy]

How about whatever wine you like?

I don't go for all this certain wine with certain food guff.

[miniman]

I would concur with jimothy - if you or your guests love a drop of Blue Nun or a £75 Barolo with fish, then go ahead and don't listen to the wine snobs. However, a recommendation on Saturday Kitchen the other week for a nice white to go with seared scallops with crab, cucumber, lime and vanilla, was this:

Taste the Difference Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007, Western Australia, Sainsbury's, £7.99

I tried a bottle and very nice it was too.

[TpdNotts]

In that case it would be a M&S Woodhaven californian chardonnay. I don't necessarily agree with a particular wine with particular food, but just thought that perhaps someone has tried a good white that complemented fish. I'm going to a lot of effort to cook/bake etc so it would be nice to try something new on the wine front.

Thanks for your input.

[TpdNotts]

miniman said:

I would concur with jimothy - if you or your guests love a drop of Blue Nun or a £75 Barolo with fish, then go ahead and don't listen to the wine snobs. However, a recommendation on Saturday Kitchen the other week for a nice white to go with seared scallops with crab, cucumber, lime and vanilla, was this:

Taste the Difference Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007, Western Australia, Sainsbury's, £7.99

I tried a bottle and very nice it was too.

I know there's alot of snobbery in wine but it's always nice to try something recommended. I'll definately take a look. Is Taste the Difference Sainsbury's?

[TpdNotts]

miniman said:

I would concur with jimothy - if you or your guests love a drop of Blue Nun or a £75 Barolo with fish, then go ahead and don't listen to the wine snobs. However, a recommendation on Saturday Kitchen the other week for a nice white to go with seared scallops with crab, cucumber, lime and vanilla, was this:

Taste the Difference Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007, Western Australia, Sainsbury's, £7.99

I tried a bottle and very nice it was too.

Is Taste the Difference a Sainsbury's brand? if so, I'll take a look. I tend to play it safe with wine and go for ones I've had before but its always nice to have something different that's been recommended.

[miniman]

TpdNotts said:

I know there's alot of snobbery in wine but it's always nice to try something recommended. I'll definately take a look. Is Taste the Difference Sainsbury's?

Yep, certainly is. Personally my favourite white is Sancerre but it's hard to get it for "day-to-day" prices. I drink white with everything, and often get odd looks when I eat a rare steak with a glass of Chardonnay, but this is because although I like red, it doesn't like me the next day!

[TpdNotts]

miniman said:

TpdNotts said:

I know there's alot of snobbery in wine but it's always nice to try something recommended. I'll definately take a look. Is Taste the Difference Sainsbury's?

Yep, certainly is. Personally my favourite white is Sancerre but it's hard to get it for "day-to-day" prices. I drink white with everything, and often get odd looks when I eat a rare steak with a glass of Chardonnay, but this is because although I like red, it doesn't like me the next day!

I love red wine but like you, I feel rough the next day, even when I've just had a couple of glasses. Gonna check out the sainsbury's one..

[Don]

TpdNotts said:

In that case it would be a M&S Woodhaven californian chardonnay. I don't necessarily agree with a particular wine with particular food, but just thought that perhaps someone has tried a good white that complemented fish. I'm going to a lot of effort to cook/bake etc so it would be nice to try something new on the wine front.

Thanks for your input.

I love fish but my Mrs can't eat it - which means when I DO get it I am really, really determined to complement it with a fabulous wine. My recommendation would be, since this is a special occasion, to forego the Supermarket and find a good local wine merchant. Supermarket wine is selected to appeal to the widest possible audience at the maximum charge they will bear at the minimum cost. So it is GREAT for buying £5 wine in a highly competetive market - but once you go to their £10 and £15 stuff I often feel they've chosen it for a pretty label that some punter who usually buys at £5 will feel looks like a step up.

If you want to upgrade to something special a merchant who is habitually selling bottles at more money will have to be doing better than the supermarkets at that price point in order to survive.

It's a case of horses for courses.

With fish my preference would be for a good Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. At the supermarket end both Montana and Oyster Bay both do very pleasant wines. IMO you should buy the one they are selling cheapest that week.

If you want to head up the way an easy to remember name is Cloudy Bay. It's hyped, I'm afraid, but there is a reason - it IS good wine.

For a bit of fun if you follow the link

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&ge...

You can explore the wineries. I like Fromm wines obtainable in the UK from Lay and Wheeler - but many others produce Sauvignon Blanc wines of excellence. You can usually find who sells in them in the UK with a short Google...

Enjoy!

[Puggit]

As above - your best friend with fish is a Sauvignon Blanc. My favourite would also be a Sancerre, but the NZ Sauv Blancs are top notch also.

For something cheaper, try a Sauv Blanc from Tourraine in France, or further West a decent Muscadet (not Sauv Blanc!) can be a real bargain.

Oh, and don't forget a decent Chablis...

[HiRich]

A better rule than "white with fish" is "wine should be inverse to the flavour of the meal". So a strongly-flavoured meal normally requires a light wine to cleanse the palate, a plain dish a fuller wine. (howver, there are always exceptions to the rule)

Your starter sounds quite strong (and I think asparagus can be a problem), so I'd suggest a very dry white, something from the western Loire - Sancerre, Touraine, Muscadet de Sevre et Maine. If it's still very sunny by Friday, perhaps an ice-cold rose.

The main course sounds a bit simpler, so a medium white. Go for your chardonnay, or a semillion-chardonnay. The bream could probably take a light pinot noir (California, Oregon perhaps) if you want a red on hand.

As for pudding, you're going to an extreme. I'd be looking to a small glass of chilled dessert wine (white), probably the nuttier or raisiny flavours rather than the citrus flavours or a port-style. An italian vin santo would go down a treat if you can find one, or an amontillado sherry?

[Wadeski]

Personally, when I'm having fish I like the wine be flinty and minerall-y...so I have a thing for Loire whites. Something along the lines of Pouilly-Fume, a Vouvray or even a Muscadet from the region.


The Italians seem to like an acid/sour tinge to cut through the food, which doesnt always do it for me.

Although as people have said, Cloudy Bay, while pricey, is distinctly lovely though.

[navier_stokes]

+1 On the Cloudy bay, overhyped but there you go.

Or you could try the NZ Dog Point wines, made by the people who originally started Cludy Bay if you wanted something a bit "different".

I always find Villa Maria (private bin) wines the best "easy to find" Sav Blancs, they also do a nice Reisling, although probably not best with fish... unless its spicy?

[whitechief]

Cloudy Bay as has been said is good, but you pays your money.

If you can find it, try Kiwi Cuvee.
I think Sainsburys and Tesco should have it. It's a French Sauvignon Blanc, made in France by New Zealanders it's under a fiver a bottle and tastes like it cost a lot more.

[scotal]

navier_stokes said:

+1 On the Cloudy bay, overhyped but there you go.

Or you could try the NZ Dog Point wines, made by the people who originally started Cludy Bay if you wanted something a bit "different".

I always find Villa Maria (private bin) wines the best "easy to find" Sav Blancs, they also do a nice Reisling, although probably not best with fish... unless its spicy?

I found Cloudy Bay distinctly unappealing when I had it, but I guess thats a question of taste.
Dog point on the other hand I love (A friend had it as the white at her wedding, I'd tell you more but I can't remember alot) BBR do it.

Villa Maria is good quaffing stuff. I have to admit my palate is not educated enough to prefer the private cellars over the usual stuff.

If you have a Majestic nearby then it might be worth popping down to see them for suggestions. (they are not snobby at all where budget is concerned.)
They have a minimum 12 bottle purchase, but 6 people for dinner is going to make a pretty good dent in that and it can be a mixed case so you could get some wine for yourself, or a selection for your guests. (ie one with the fish, one with the desert, http://www.majestic.co.uk/find/keyword-is-elysium/... I like!, and some port if thats your thing.

[navier_stokes]

Maybe some sauternnes to go with the toffee pud as well?

[Vipers]

jimothy said:

How about whatever wine you like?

I don't go for all this certain wine with certain food guff.

[Don]

Vipers said:

jimothy said:

How about whatever wine you like?

I don't go for all this certain wine with certain food guff.

Well - whilst unusual matches that work are just fine I can assure you a solid Aussie Shiraz with chocolate Ice Cream is a big, BIG mistake. As James May proved...

[Jamesf288]

As most people on here have said, with alot of fish you can't really go wrong with Sauvignon Blanc; it's a safe bet if you're not sure what your friends like. I'd be inclined to go for a Loire SB such as a Sancerre, Pouilly Fume or a higher end Touraine (often very good value for money).

Loire SB's tend to be leaner and more subtle than Kiwi ones, which tend to have bigger fruit flavours and can be a little overwhelming at times; cracking summer wine though.

Another option is white Burgundy. If you prefer a leaner more dry white, then Chablis (a decent one would be £10 and upwards) would hit the mark. Alternatively if you like richer flavours then a Macon, St Veran or Pouilly Fuisse would go well.

[TpdNotts]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I've taken all the recommendations on board and whilst I may not end up using all of them tonight (!), i'll certainly look them up. I remember having Oyster Bay a few years ago with fish at a restaurant in Poole and it was excellent.

Thanks for your input. If there are ever any really good wines on offer anywhere, please post the info. I like trying wine on receommendation..