Pairing wine with salmon dishes is not a difficult task. Following several basic rules and keeping them in mind throughout the cooking process will create the perfect pairing every time.
Popular opinion dictates that the perfect pairing of wine with salmon is always white wine. This is not necessarily true. What is important is the wine chosen heightens, brightens, and compliments the flavors of the dish, rather than dominating.
First, an important part of a successful wine with salmon pairing is to understand its culinary attributes.
Different fish have drastically varied flavors and textures. Both flavor, texture, and fat content factor into which wines will best compliment the dish. Additionally, salmon is a fatty, rich fish. It is flaky and buttery, yet holds its texture well. Importantly, the way the salmon is prepared, along with what seasonings, sauces, and cooking techniques are used with influence the wine with salmon pairing.
Pairing wine with food, especially salmon is easy if you know the basics!
Smoked salmon has a very strong, distinct taste. Because of this, smoked salmon is fairly straightforward to pair. It’s usually served with other food items. Its salty composition calls for a lot of acidity and flavor in a paired wine. Some of the best choices to serve with smoked salmon meals are:
Often considered “plain” salmon, slow-roasted salmon tends to be very soft and moist. In contrast, it can also be prepared a little “tougher” like steak. Great wine choices for slow-roasted salmon include:
There are a number of different variations of this type of dish, some of the more well known include teriyaki, sesame-soy, or ginger glazed. The glaze typically adds flavor and additional texture. Glazed salmon can be perfectly accompanied by a number or different wines depending on the taste of the glaze:
Roasted salmon can be served with some manner of cream sauce, such as dill and cucumber yogurt sauce, béarnaise, horseradish and caper sauce, and lemon and dill sauce. Regardless, in a rich creamy sauce, the most suitable wines to pair with these rich roasted salmon meals are those that enhance the herbal or lemony flavors of the cream sauce; lightening the dish. Some examples are:
The contradiction of the crispy skin exterior and the moist flakiness of the interior make this a popular salmon dish. Sometimes accompanied by grilled vegetables such as leeks, crispy salmon goes well with wines like:
When looking for the perfect wine with salmon pairing, experimentation may be necessary. First, try sampling more than one of the wines recommended above with a specific salmon dish to see which you like best. Second, once the options have been narrowed down, pairing becomes easier for that dish future dishes. Lastly, having more than one bottle allows leeway based on individual tastes; allowing a growth in wine knowledge and experience. With more than one wine with salmon, choice is afforded to the chef; allowing for amazing results down the road.
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