Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2011 | Page 132
Matt Whishaw
recommends...
wines
with fish
There is no ‘silver bullet’ perfect
wine to work with all seafood. Fishy
dishes are just too varied, from
simple steamed cod to richly sauced
halibut, and then there is crab, with
delicate white meat and rich brown
flesh within one shell!
Oak is best avoided where fish is
concerned. With brown crab meat
try a rich and aromatic viognier or
a powerful Kiwi sauvignon blanc.
Sauvignon and chenin are stalwarts
with fish and Muscadet with oysters
is a conventional choice, but there
are so many more interesting and
exciting options available:
I would always choose a Picpoul
de Pinet from the Languedoc over
a Muscadet. They share the same
steely minerality, but the Picpoul’s
crisp citrus fruit works wonders.
For those with a real sense of
adventure, a bone dry and savoury
Austrian Grüner Veltliner would
complement oysters or steamed fish.
Albarino from Galicia in Spain
is the height of fashion and its
combination of minerality and
floral fruit works brilliantly with all
but the richest fish dishes. Steely
dry riesling from Australia is also
a winner, and for spiced oriental
dishes Riesling from New Zealand
with a hint of sweetness is a perfect
match.
We are so lucky to have such
wonderful seafood available off
our shores. Treat it with respect
and serve it with something more
adventurous than a cheap pinot
grigio!
Matt Whishaw - Island Wine Company
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