Seafood and Wine Pairing

Here at The Cornish Fishmonger, we’re pleased to offer a selection of recipes to complement the many species of fresh Cornish fish that we provide. Often customers ask us for wine pairing recommendations, so we thought we'd put together a few of our favourite seafood and wine combinations, and put them on here for you all to see.

In general, we find that fish pairs well with white wine, however some species will partner well with lighter chilled reds, as well as Champagne and dry Sherry. As a rule, the lighter the dish the lighter the wine, with more robust flavours requiring a heavier wine. However, personal taste is everything, so we’ll leave the choice of price and country of origin to you – enjoy!

Oysters: Champagne is the ideal candidate for a true ‘taste of the sea’, or try Manzanilla Sherry as an alternative.

Prawns: How you cook your prawns will influence your choice of wine. However, a dry Manzanilla Sherry, Sauvignon Blanc or any dry white will normally taste delicious.

Bass: This classic fish deserves the best wine. Aged white Burgundy or full flavoured Chardonnay work well, and be sure to push the boat out to buy the best you can afford.

Salmon: Due to salmon’s powerful flavour, you will need a stronger white Loire - perhaps Sancerre, Pouille Fume or even a light red pinot noir slightly chilled.

Crab: The rich strong flavour of crab demands full flavoured wine. Try a rich Viognier, white Rioja or a full Semillon as their full flavour will not be challenged by the depth of flavour of crab.

Scallops: While they are similar to Crab in many ways, Scallops have a much subtler flavour. Enjoy with a Pinot Gris, Chardonnay or Viognier.

Tuna: The clean bright flavour of tuna requires wines such as chilled dry sherry, Rosé or a light Semillon.

Turbot: This robust flavoured fish deserves the very best of wine as an accompaniment. A white Burgundy or creamy Chardonnay will match well.

Smoked Salmon: The rich smoky flavour of cured salmon works well with Champagne, White Burgundy and Gewürztraminer.

Monkfish: Subtle in flavour, this meaty fish partners well with White Rhône, Burgundy and Rosé.

Lobster: Rich in flavour and robust in texture, creamy New World Chardonnay, Sauvignon-Semillon and Champagne make suitable partners for this celebratory seafood.

Smoked Haddock: Any pungent wines will withstand the stronger flavours of smoked fish; we suggest Pinot Gris, full Sauvignon Blanc or Gewürztraminer as best partners.

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