Which red wine goes with fish?

Contents

You hear it everywhere: fish only goes well with white wine, and drinking it with red wine is an offence! Yet this popular adage is almost as false as the famous cheese/red wine pairing.

Fish flesh and tannins

While white wine is generally a better match than red wine, some fish, including firm-fleshed fish such as tuna, can be too fleshy for white wine, and are best served with supple, full-bodied red wines such as those from the Loire, Beaujolais or Rhône regions. In fact, fish is a very fine dish, with rather tender and delicate flesh, so the tannins are much more noticeable when tasting a red wine with it.

For the best match, choose fish with the fullest flesh and wines with the softest tannins.

Red wines with light tannins

The Pinot Noir grape is particularly appreciated with fish, especially for its sweetness and finesse. Generally speaking, Burgundy is a beautiful region when it comes to fish and wine pairings. Wines from Beaune, Mercurey or Volnay go perfectly with fish. Pinot Noir is also grown in Alsace, Côte Roannaise and the Loire Valley, so we can also draw from these regions.

Powerful fish dishes, such as tuna steak, can be accompanied by more powerful red wines, like a Syrah from the Côte du Rhône. A Crozes Hermitage is the perfect match.

Old red wines with fish

Tannins and acidity diminish with age. Older vintages generally go better with fish. In addition, the mellow tannins and aromas of undergrowth, dried fruit and dried flowers will delight your taste buds on contact with firm-fleshed fish of the highest quality.

For example, go for a Burgundy wine aged between 10 and 30 years, or, for a more affordable price, a sub-regional AOC 5 or 10 years old (these wines mature faster, depending on the winemaker and vintage).

What kind of fish goes well with red wine?

In general, steamed fish should be avoided. They can appear blander when combined with the tannins of red wine.

Fish cooked a la plancha, on the barbecue or on the grill goes best with the aromas of red wine. The spicy aromas of broth-cooked fish can also be enjoyed with red wine.

Now you know what to do to surprise your guests at your next dinner party!

Photo by Patrick Browne/ Unsplash