It’s time to learn how to improve your salmon prowess this summer! Many people don’t realize that wine selection is crucial when served with salmon. It can make or break your dining experience. Here are a few tips to help you find the right wine to pair with your salmon dish.

It’s important to consider how your salmon has been prepared.

For plain and simple salmon, you can go two different routes. The first is to choose a richer wine, like a Central Coast chardonnay from California or a sémillon from Hunter Valley. These will be similar in richness to the salmon and you will end up with a fuller taste. The other route is to select a slightly more subtle flavor, like that of a vermentino from Sardegna or a sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley. These will act as palate cleansers, perfectly contrasting with the salmon’s rich taste. For more complex preparations, the range of complementary wines narrows down.

Smoked: When pairing wine with smoked salmon, it’s recommended that the wine has enough acidity and flavor to complement the salty, fishy notes in the dish. Try a bold rosé or a sparkling wine.

Grilled: Grilling salmon creates a char, and that can go very well with a New World syrah, pinot noir, or pinot gris.

Fishcakes: If you prefer salmon in fishcakes, choose a chardonnay or a sparkling wine, like Champagne.

Be careful when pairing red wine with salmon.

Avoid high-tannin red wines, because they can elicit a metallic taste when paired with salmon. Tannin is a naturally occurring polyphenol found in grape skins that affects the texture of wine and makes it taste dry. Try a low-tannin red wine, like lambrusco or prieto picudo, to keep your salmon tasting like salmon.

If all else fails, choose a classic.

If you’re not sure which wine would be best or your choices are limited, pair rosé, pinot noir, or chardonnay with your dish. These three are generally accepted to be reliable when paired with salmon, so they are foolproof choices to enjoy with your dish.

If you are in the mood for some salmon and wine, stop by 13moons this summer to enjoy enjoy Wild Seasonal Salmon with your choice of over 50 wines. Visit our 13Moons Page to view dining options and wine menus.

Resources:

Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Wine Folly

Fiona Beckett: Matching Food & Wine