That's because when it comes to wine choices there's no hard and fast "rule" for pairing food and wine. I've had some very memorable meals drinking Pinot Noir and even Cabernet with the right fish. Sure, there are some guidelines that can help you find wines that will fit a particular dish better than others, and I'll share a couple below. But at the end of the day (or the meal!) it's really all about what tastes good to you.

The short answer is no — you can drink whatever you want with whatever you want. I know it's tough to break with family tradition, but there's no time like the present. I'm not saying your mom is totally off base — many seafood dishes are "lighter", and, when simply prepared with a little lemon and butter, a big cab would blow it away.

But there are so many different kinds of fish and ways to prepare fish that any "up front" limitation you put on the wine choice to go with it could really short change your experience — after all, fish is only one component of the dish. Though medium-weight whites are a safe bet with almost any seafood, most wines — red and white — can hold their own next to all but the most intensely flavored fish.

Since you're a cook, you know that creating great dishes is a complex process, and the flavors and textures are easily altered. So match your wine to the dominant textures and flavors in your food. A delicate seafood dish (like raw oysters) begs for a lighter wine; a Syrah would wipe out the delicate taste of the oysters. But put that same wine with spicy shrimp scampi, and you won't even taste it. And that same Syrah will shine.

So if you're going to follow any general rule of thumb, it's this: the flavor of the wine shouldn't prevail over the food, and the food shouldn't be stronger than the wine.

That's why in this issue of VinConnections, we'll point you to some Sauvignon and Fumé Blanc's to enjoy with your bi-valves, along with make-your-mouth-water chardonnay. And we'll share some reds you're likely to love with salmon or sea bass, or whatever other seafood creature you most enjoy baked, fried, barbecued or broiled. So drink, and enjoy...

[Do you have a wine-related question you’d like to ask? If so, send it to us via email at: getinfo@winepocketlist.com and you may see it answered in an upcoming issue!]

Price: $12
The prices quoted in the WPL are the "suggested retail prices" quoted by the wineries and the distributors. Though these are close to what you'd pay at the winery, you'll often find discounts of 20% and more off these prices at retail.

Individual Evaluations: IE: A, A-, B+
This represents the number of individual reviews and ratings on which the composite grade is based, primarily representing individual reviews in top wine periodicals converted to our scale, and ratings by our tasting panel.

Wine PocketList Exclusive Categories: WPL: BBC, W, S, B
These are four exclusive WPL categories, and many wines rated by the PocketList will fall into one of these special designations.

[W] Widely Available:
These wines typically have bottling of 20,000 cases or more, making them widely available in most regions of the U.S.

[BBC] Top Buy-by-the-Case:
Based on multiple, outstanding reviews and a solid history, these are wines you can purchase by the case to grow your cellar with confidence today, and into the future!

[B] Bargain Wines:
Top-rated wines for $10 or less. Most of these can go head to head with a typical $30 bottle sporting a fancy label . . . and beat it hands down.

[S] Splurge Wines:
For most of us, spending more than $20 on a bottle of wine isn’t something we do lightly. These are wines that, while more expensive, are well worth the price.

 

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