Should you choose red or white wine to go with your seafood or fish? Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits in the Cayman Islands has some excellent suggestions for wines that will enhance your meal.
Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits is known for our huge selection of popular international name brand and hard-to-find wines, beers and spirits. We have five convenient locations to serve you, but the most convenient way to get everything you need quickly is to order online. We deliver online orders free of charge anywhere on Grand Cayman.
Before choosing a wine, red or white, to serve with fish, it’s important to look at both the cooking technique and the flavors of any sauce served with it. Also, fattier, meatier fish like tuna and salmon can handle red wine with softer tannins, while milder white fish usually go better with whites. But there are exceptions to every rule.
White Wine and Seafood
Chardonnay: Chardonnay pairs very well with white-fleshed fish, such as halibut, mahi-mahi and tilapia, as well as with salmon and shellfish, particularly with lobster, fresh boiled crab or mild crab cakes, and scallops. Some of the best chardonnays come from France and California, but there are also fine examples from Italy, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Try a bottle of Thomas Fogarty Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay from California.
Riesling: Rieslings pair quite well with dishes like plain steamed mussels and raw oysters as well as with salmon and tuna. The wine is a highly aromatic and can span a broad range of styles, being produced in both dry to sweet and light to full-bodied variations. Although usually associated with Germany, delicious Rieslings also come from Alsace, France, Australia’s Clare and Eden Valleys, and New York’s Finger Lakes region. We recommend the Prum Essence Riesling from Mosel, Germany.
Sauvignon Blanc: Pair Sauvignon Blanc with delicate fish, such as filet of sole, tilapia, flounder or halibut, and shellfish, such as simple steamed clams. You will find excellent Sauvignon Blanc selections from wine regions worldwide, such as California, Chile, South Africa, northern Italy and Australia. It has also become the signature white wine of New Zealand, where it features intense green citrus and berry fruit flavors. Try a bottle of the award-winning Aorangi Road Sauvignon Blanc from Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.
Red Wine and Seafood
Pinot Noir: Pinot Noir features strong, oaky overtones and is considered a moderately dry, light-to-medium bodied wine. It pairs well with both hearty fish, like salmon or tuna, and delicately cooked white fish or poached salmon, as well as with shellfish, such as oysters, crab, lobster, and mussels. We recommend the La Crema Sonoma Pinot Noir from California’s Sonoma Coast.
Zinfandel: This well-known wine grape is widely cultivated in California’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys. It is lighter in color than other reds, but has a bold taste with notes of raspberry, chocolate and cinnamon. Zinfandel has high acidity and moderate tannins, making it a great match for grilled or pan-seared salmon. Try the award-winning Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma, California.
For more suggestions on red or white wine to serve with your fish, visit Jacques Scott Wine & Spirits on Grand Cayman, where you’ll enjoy an unparalleled wine selection and exceptional customer service.
