FISH COURSES

Abalone Dry or medium white: Sauv Bl, Côte de Beaune Blanc, Pinot Gr, Grüner Veltliner.

Chinese-style: vintage Champagne (at least), or Alsace.

Anchovies, marinated Skip the marinade; it will clash with pretty well everything. Keep it light,

white, dry and neutral.

in olive oil or salted Anchovies are fine without. A robust wine: red, white, or rosé – try

Rioja.

Bass, sea Weissburgunder from Baden or Pfalz. V.gd for any fine/delicate white, eg. Clare dry

Ries, Chablis, white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But strengthen the flavours of the wine according

to the flavourings of the fish: ginger and spring onions need more powerful Ries.

Beurre blanc, fish with A top-notch Muscadet sur Lie, a Sauv Bl/Sém blend, premier cru

Chablis, Vouvray, or a Rheingau Ries.

Brandade Premier cru Chablis, Sancerre Rouge, or NZ Pinot N.

Brill V. delicate: hence a top fish for fine old Puligny and the like.

Cod, roast Gd neutral background for fine dry/medium whites: Chablis, Meursault, Corton-

Charlemagne, cru classé Graves, Grüner Veltliner, German Kabinett or Grosses Gewächs, or

a gd lightish Pinot N.

black with miso sauce NZ or Oregon Pinot N. Or Rheingau Ries Spätlese.

Crab Crab and Ries are part of the Creator’s plan.

Chinese, with ginger and onion German Ries Kabinett or Spätlese Halbtrocken. Tokaji

Furmint, Gewurz.

cioppino Sauv Bl; but West Coast friends say Zin. Also California sparkling.

cold, dressed Alsace, Austrian, or Rhine Ries; dry Australian Ries, or Condrieu.

softshell Chard or top-quality German Ries Spätlese.

Thai crabcakes Pungent Sauv Bl (Loire, South Africa, Australia, NZ) or Ries (German

Spätlese or Australian).

with black bean sauce A big Barossa Shiraz or Syrah. Even Cognac.

with chilli and garlic Quite powerful Ries, perhaps German Grosses Gewächs or Wachau

Austrian.

Curry A generic term for a multitude of flavours. Chilli emphasizes tannin, so reds need supple,

evolved tannins. Spanish rosé can be a gd bet. Hot-and-sour flavours (eg. with tamarind or

tomato) need acidity (perhaps Sauv Bl); mild, creamy dishes need richness of texture (dry

Alsace Ries). But best of all is Sherry: Fino with fish. (Palo Cortado or dry Amontillado with

meat.) It’s revelatory.

Eel, smoked Ries, Alsace, or Austrian or dry Tokaji Furmint. Or Fino Sherry, Bourgogne

Aligoté. Schnapps.

Fish and chips, fritto misto, tempura Chablis, white Bordeaux, Sauv Bl, Pinot Bl, Gavi, Fino

Sherry, Montilla, Koshu, tea; or non-vintage Champagne or Cava.

Fish baked in a salt crust Full-bodied white or rosé: Albariño, Sicily, Greek, Hungarian. Côtes

de Lubéron or Minervois.

Fish pie (with creamy sauce) Albariño, Soave Classico, Alsace Pinot Gr or Ries, Spanish

Godello.

Haddock Rich, dry whites: Meursault, California Chard, Marsanne, Grüner Veltliner.

Hake Sauv Bl or any fresh, fruity white: Pacherenc, Tursan, white Navarra.

Halibut As for TURBOT.

Herrings, fried/grilled Need a white with some acidity to cut their richness. Try Rully, Chablis,

Muscadet, Bourgogne Aligoté, Greek, dry Sauv Bl. Or cider.

Kedgeree Full white, still or sparkling: Mâcon-Villages, South African Chard, Grüner Veltliner,

German Grosses Gewächs or (at breakfast) Champagne.

Kippers A gd cup of tea, preferably Ceylon (milk, no sugar). Scotch? Dry Oloroso Sherry is

surprisingly gd.

Lamproie à la Bordelaise 5-yr-old St-Émilion or Fronsac. Or Douro reds with Portuguese

lampreys.

Lobster, richly sauced Vintage Champagne, fine white burgundy, cru classé Graves, California

Chard, or Australian Ries, Grosses Gewächs, Pfalz Spätlese.

cold with mayonnaise Non-vintage Champagne, Alsace Ries, premier cru Chablis, Condrieu,

Mosel Spätlese or a local fizz.

Mackerel, grilled Hard or sharp white to cut the oil: Sauv Bl from Touraine, Gaillac, Vinho

Verde, white Rioja, or English white. Or Guinness.

with spices Austrian Ries, Grüner Veltliner, German Grosses Gewächs.

Monkfish Often roasted, which needs fuller rather than leaner wines. Try NZ Chard, NZ/Oregon

Pinot N, or Chilean Merlot.

Mullet, grey Verdicchio, Rully, or unoaked Chard.

Mullet, red A chameleon, adaptable to gd white or red, esp Pinot N.

Mussels marinières Muscadet sur Lie, premier cru Chablis, unoaked Chard.

stuffed, with garlic See ESCARGOTS.

Paella, shellfish Full-bodied white or rosé, unoaked Chard. Or the local Spanish red.

Perch, sandre Exquisite fish for finest wines: top white burgundy, grand cru Alsace Ries, or

noble Mosels. Or try top Swiss Chasselas (eg. Dézaley, St-Saphorin).

Prawns with mayonnaise, Menetou-Salon,

with garlic Keep the wine light, white or rosé, and dry.

with spices Up to and incl chilli, go for a bit more body, but not oak: dry Ries gd.

Salmon, seared or grilled Pinot N is the fashionable option, but Chard is better. Merlot or light

claret is not bad. Best is fine white burgundy, eg. Puligny- or Chassagne-Montrachet,

Meursault, Corton-Charlemagne, grand cru Chablis; Grüner Veltliner, Condrieu,

California/Idaho/NZ Chard, Rheingau Kabinett/Spätlese, Australian Ries.

fishcakes Call for similar (as for above) but less grand wines.

Sardines, fresh grilled V. dry white: Vinho Verde, Muscadet, or modern Greek.

Sashimi The Japanese preference is for white wine with body (Chablis Premier Cru, Alsace

Ries) with white fish, Pinot N with red. Both need acidity: low-acidity wines don’t work.

Simple Chablis can be a bit thin. If soy is involved, then low-tannin red (again, Pinot).

Remember Sake (or Fino Sherry).

Scallops An inherently slightly sweet dish, best with medium-dry whites.

in cream sauces German Spätlese, Montrachets, or top Australian Chard.

grilled or seared Hermitage Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Pessac-Léognan Blanc, vintage

Champagne or Pinot N.

with Asian seasoning NZ Chard, Chenin Bl, Verdelho, Godello, Gewurz.

Sea cucumber The only Chinese seafood that works better with red than white, mostly because

it’s the sauce that gives the flavour. It needs complexity, and silky texture: gd, mature Pinot N,

Barolo, or top Rioja work, also top Bordeaux.

Shellfish Dry white with plain shellfish, richer wines with richer sauces. Ries.

with plateaux de fruits de mer Chablis, Muscadet, Picpoul de Pinet, or Alto Adige Pinot Bl.

Skate/raie with brown butter White with some pungency (eg. Pinot Gr d’Alsace or Roussanne),

or a clean, straightforward wine like Muscadet or Verdicchio.

Snapper Sauv Bl if cooked with oriental flavours; white Rhône or Provence rosé with

Mediterranean flavours.

Sole, plaice, etc., plain, grilled, or fried Perfect with fine wines: white burgundy or its

equivalent.

with sauce According to the ingredients: sharp, dry wine for tomato sauce, fairly rich for

creamy preparations.

Sushi Hot wasabi is usually hidden in every piece. German QbA Trocken wines, simple Chablis,

or non-vintage brut Champagne. Obvious fruit doesn’t work. Or, of course, Sake or beer.

Swordfish Full-bodied, dry white of the country. Nothing grand.

Tagine, with couscous North African flavours need substantial whites to balance – Austrian,

Rhône – or crisp, neutral whites that won’t compete. Go easy on the oak. Viognier or

Albariño can work well.

Trout, grilled or fried Delicate white wine, eg. Mosel (esp Saar or Ruwer), Alsace Pinot Bl,

Fendant.

Tuna, grilled or seared Best served rare (or raw) with light red wine: Cab Fr from the Loire, or

Pinot N. Young Rioja is a possibility.

Turbot The king of fishes. Serve with your best rich, dry white: Meursault or Chassagne-

Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, mature Chablis or its California, Australian or NZ

equivalent. Condrieu. Mature Rheingau, Mosel or Nahe Spätlese or Auslese (not Trocken).

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FIRST COURSES

Aïoli A thirst-quencher is needed for its garlic heat. Rhône, sparkling dry white; Provence rosé,

Verdicchio. And marc or grappa, too, for courage.

Antipasti Dry or medium white: Italian (Arneis, Soave, Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, Vermentino);

light but gutsy red (Valpolicella, straight or ripasso, can handle most things).

Artichoke vinaigrette An incisive dry white: NZ Sauv Bl; Côtes de Gascogne or a modern

Greek; young red: Bordeaux, Côtes du Rhône.

with hollandaise Full-bodied, slightly crisp dry white: Pouilly-Fuissé, Pfalz Spätlese, or a

Carneros or Yarra Valley Chard.

Asparagus A difficult flavour for wine, being slightly bitter, so the wine needs plenty of its own.

Rheingau Ries goes well. Sauv Bl echoes the flavour. Sém beats Chard, esp Australian, but

Chard works well with melted butter or hollandaise. Alsace Pinot Gr, even dry Muscat is gd,

or Jurançon Sec.

Aubergine purée (melitzanosalata) Crisp New World Sauv Bl, eg. from South Africa or NZ; or

modern Greek or Sicilian dry white. Baked aubergine dishes can need sturdier reds: Shiraz,

Zin. Or try a Turkish red like the Imam.

Avocado and tiger prawns Dry to medium or slightly sharp white: Rheingau or Pfalz Kabinett,

Grüner Veltliner, Wachau Ries, Sancerre, Pinot Gr; Sonoma or Australian Chard or Sauv Bl,

or a dry rosé. Or premier cru Chablis.

with mozzarella and tomato Crisp but ripe white with acidity: Soave, Sancerre, Greek

white.

Carpaccio, beef Seems to work well with most wines, incl reds. Top Tuscan is appropriate, but

fine Chards are gd. So are vintage and pink Champagnes.

salmon Chard or Champagne.

tuna Viognier, California Chard or NZ Sauv Bl.

Caviar Iced vodka. Full-bodied Champagne (eg. Bollinger, Krug). Cuvée Annamaria Clementi

from Ca’ del Bosco.

Ceviche Australian Ries or Verdelho, Chilean Sauv Bl.

Charcuterie/salami Young Beaujolais-Villages, Loire reds (ie. Saumur), or NZ or Oregon Pinot

N. Lambrusco or young Zin. Young Argentine or Italian reds. Bordeaux Blanc and light Chard

like Côte Chalonnaise can work well, too.

Chorizo Fino, Austrian Ries, Grüner Veltliner, but not a wine-friendly taste.

Crostini Dry Italian white such as Verdicchio or Orvieto. Or standard-grade (not Riserva)

Morellino di Scansano, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Valpolicella.

Crudités Light red or rosé: Côtes du Rhône, Minervois, Chianti, Pinot N; or Fino Sherry. For

whites: Alsace Sylvaner or Pinot Bl.

Dim sum Classically, China tea. For fun: Pinot Gr or Ries; light Pinot N. For reds, soft, evolved

tannins are key, and the more mature and complex the wine the better it will go. Bardolino,

Rioja, or light Southern Rhône are also contenders. Plus NV Champagne or gd New World

fizz.

Eggs See also SOUFFLÉS. These present difficulties; they clash with most wines and can ruin good

ones. But local wine with local egg dishes is a safe bet, so ★→★★ of whatever is going.

Try Pinot Bl or not-too-oaky Chard. As a last resort I can bring myself to drink Champagne

with scrambled eggs.

quails eggs Blanc de blancs Champagne.

seagull (or gull) eggs Mature white burgundy or vintage Champagne.

oeufs en meurette Burgundian genius: eggs in red wine with glass of the same.

Escargots A comfort dish calling for Rhône reds (Gigondas, Vacqueyras). St-Véran or Aligoté,

in Burgundy, . In the Midi, v.gd Petits-Gris (“little grey snails”) go with local white, rosé or

red. In Alsace, Pinot Bl or dry Muscat.

Fish terrine or fish salad Pfalz Ries Spätlese Trocken, Grüner Veltliner, premier cru Chablis,

Clare Valley Ries, Sonoma Chard, or Manzanilla.

Foie gras Sweet white. In Bordeaux they drink Sauternes. Others prefer a late-harvest Pinot Gr or

Ries (incl New World), Vouvray, Montlouis, Jurançon moelleux, or Gewurz. Tokaji Aszú 5

puttonyos is a Lucullan choice. Old, dry Amontillado can be sublime. With hot foie gras,

mature vintage Champagne. But not on any account Chard or Sauv Bl. Or red.

Goats cheese, warm Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, or New World Sauv Bl.

chilled Chinon, Saumur-Champigny, or Provence rosé. Or strong red: Château Musar, Greek,

Turkish, Australian sparkling Shiraz.

Guacamole Mexican beer. Or California Chard, Sauv Bl, dry Muscat, or even non-vintage

Champagne.

Haddock, smoked, mousse, soufflé or brandade Wonderful for showing off any stylish, fullbodied

white, incl grand cru Chablis or Sonoma, South African or NZ Chard.

Ham, raw or cured See also PROSCIUTTO. Alsace Grand Cru Pinot Gr or gd, crisp Italian Collio

white. With Spanish pata negra or jamón, Fino Sherry or Tawny Port. See also HAM, COOKED

(Meat, poultry, game).

Herrings, raw or pickled Dutch gin (young, not aged) or Scandinavian akvavit, and cold beer. If

wine essential, try Muscadet.

Mackerel, smoked An oily wine-destroyer. Manzanilla Sherry, proper dry Vinho Verde or

schnapps, peppered or bison-grass vodka. Or gd lager.

Mayonnaise Adds richness that calls for a contrasting bite in the wine. Côte Chalonnaise whites

(eg. Rully) are gd. Try NZ Sauv Bl, Verdicchio or a Spätlese Trocken. Or Provence rosé.

Mezze A selection of hot and cold vegetable dishes. Fino Sherry is in its element.

Mozzarella with tomatoes, basil Fresh Italian white, eg. Soave, Alto Adige. Vermintino from the

coast. Or simple Bordeaux Blanc. See also AVOCADO.

Oysters, raw Non-vintage Champagne, premier cru Chablis, Muscadet, white Graves, Sancerre,

or Guinness. Some like cold, light Sauternes.

cooked Puligny-Montrachet, gd New World Chard. Champagne gd with either.

Pasta Red or white according to the sauce or trimmings:

cream sauce (eg. carbonara) Orvieto, Frascati, Alto Adige Chard.

meat sauce Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Salice Salentino, Merlot.

pesto (basil) Barbera, Ligurian Vermentino, NZ Sauv Bl, Hungarian Furmint.

seafood sauce (eg. vongole) Verdicchio, Soave, white Rioja, Cirò, Sauv Bl.

tomato sauce Chianti, Barbera, Sicilian red, Zin, South Australian Grenache.

Pastrami Alsace Ries, young Sangiovese or St-Émilion.

Pâté, chicken liver Calls for pungent white (Alsace Pinot Gr or Marsanne), a smooth red like a

light Pomerol, Volnay or NZ Pinot N, or even Amontillado Sherry. More strongly flavoured

pâté (duck, etc.) needs Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Cornas, Chianti Classico, Franciacorta, or gd

white Graves.

Pipérade Navarra rosado, Provence or southern French rosés. Or dry Australian Ries. For a red:

Corbières.

Prawns, shrimps, or langoustines Fine dry white: burgundy, Graves, NZ Chard, Washington

Ries, Pfalz Ries, Australian Ries – even fine mature Champagne. (“Cocktail sauce” kills

wine, and in time, people.)

Prosciutto (also with melon, pears, or figs) Full, dry or medium white: Orvieto, Lugana, Grüner

Veltliner, Tokaji Furmint, white Rioja, Australian Sem, or Jurançon Sec.

Risotto Pinot Gr from Friuli, Gavi, youngish Sém, Dolcetto, or Barbera d’Alba.

with fungi porcini Finest mature Barolo or Barbaresco.

nero A rich, dry white; Viognier or even Corton-Charlemagne.

Salads Any dry and appetizing white or rosé wine.

NB Vinegar in salad dressings destroys the flavour of wine. Why don’t the French know this?

If you want salad at a meal with fine wine, dress it with wine or lemon juice instead of

vinegar.

Salmon, smoked A dry but pungent white: fino (esp Manzanilla) Sherry, Alsace Pinot Gr, grand

cru Chablis, Pouilly-Fumé, Pfalz Ries Spätlese, vintage Champagne. Vodka, schnapps, or

akvavit.

Soufflés As show dishes these deserve ★★★ wines.

cheese Red burgundy or Bordeaux, Cab Sauv (not Chilean or Australian), etc. Or fine white

burgundy.

fish Dry white: ★★★ Burgundy, Bordeaux, Alsace, Chard, etc.

spinach (tougher on wine) Mâcon-Villages, St-Véran or Valpolicella. Champagne can also

be good with the texture of soufflé.

Tapas Perfect with Fino Sherry, which can cope with the wide range of flavours in both hot and

cold dishes. Or sake.

Tapenade Manzanilla or Fino Sherry, or any sharpish dry white or rosé.

Taramasalata A rustic southern white with personality; even possibly retsina. Fino Sherry works

well. Try white Rioja or a Rhône Marsanne. A bland supermarket tarama submits to fine,

delicate whites or Champagne.

Tempura The Japanese favour oaked Chard with acidity. I prefer Champagne.

Tortilla Rioja Crianza, Fino Sherry or white Mâcon-Villages.

Trout, smoked Sancerre; California or South African Sauv Bl. Rully or Bourgogne Aligoté,

Chablis or Champagne. German Ries Kabinett Feinherb.

Vegetable terrine Not a great help to fine wine, but Chilean Chard makes a fashionable

marriage, Chenin Bl such as Vouvray a lasting one.

Whitebait Crisp dry whites, eg. Furmint, Greek, Touraine Sauv Bl, Verdicchio; or Fino Sherry.

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BEFORE THE MEAL – APÉRITIFS

The conventional apéritif wines are either sparkling (epitomized by Champagne) or fortified (epitomized by Sherry in Britain, Port in France, vermouth in Italy, etc.). A glass of table wine

Before eating is an alternative. Warning Avoid peanuts – they destroy wine flavors. Olives are

Too piquant for many wines, especially Champagne; they need Sherry or a Martini. Eat almonds, pistachios, cashews, or walnuts, plain crisps or cheese straws instead

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