Our Catch of the Day Box is a great way to try out different types of seafood, all freshly delivered to your door. If you’re trying out a new species of fish, however, you might be wondering which wine is best paired with it. It’s common to pair wine with seafood, but it’s also commonly paired incorrectly.
Ultimately, it is a good idea to consider what you enjoy. If a website is telling you to pair Sauvignon Blanc with a certain fish but you hate Sauvignon Blanc, it won’t be a good pairing for you. No matter what the technicality of the pairing, it’s not worth ruining the meal for yourself.
We can, however, make suggestions on the types of wine you could pair with your fish of choice. Typically, the best wines for seafood are fresh and crisp. You might have heard that you should only pair white wine with seafood, but that’s not always the case. Keep reading to learn more about how to pair wine with seafood.
The best all-rounder wine for fish
If you’re looking for one wine that will suit most of the fish in your Catch of the Day Box, your best bet is Chardonnay. This is a great option for a lot of seafood, however, more delicate fish such as cod and haddock are better suited with a lighter wine. Chardonnay is a full-bodied white wine, which will work perfectly with buttery fish. For delicate fish, a crisp wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio will be more complementary.
If you get your hands on some meatier fish such as tuna or salmon, you could experiment a bit more with your wine selection. You could even move away from white wine and introduce a chilled red such as Pinot Noir.
The best wine for haddock
Let’s start with one of the most popular fish out there (and one you might find in one of our seafood boxes): haddock. It’s flaky, light and fresh – so which wine should you pair with it? Try it with a fresh wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Both wines will provide a mouth-watering citrus bite to your meal.
Haddock doesn’t pair well with red wines, unfortunately, due to its light properties. Even light-bodied red wines could overpower the fish, so it’s best to avoid them.
The best wine for scallops
Thinking of branching out and trying something different? Scallops are a great way to slightly move out of your comfort zone – but finding the right wine can improve your experience significantly! This slightly depends on the way you decide to cook your scallops. Raw scallops or those prepared in a ceviche style will pair well with sweeter wines such as Riesling. If you decide to introduce spice to your dish, you could try pairing it with a Moscato.
It’s also popular to cook scallops by searing them, creating a more buttery flavour profile. A Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay will be complementary to the tender texture and bolder flavours, without overpowering them.
The best wine for lobster
Lobster can be an incredibly classy option for seafood lovers. It’s important to select the right wine for this decadent shellfish. Lobster has a meaty texture and is commonly paired with buttery flavours. Bearing this in mind, it’s best paired with something that will complement its texture (like a Chardonnay) or this buttery flavour profile (like a Riesling).
If you’re feeling a bit fancier, or it’s a special occasion, you might opt for a bit of bubbly. Champagne has the versatility to pair well with most dishes, so this is a great option. If you can find one made with the Chardonnay grape, even better!
The best wine for octopus
Octopus has a pretty neutral flavour, so it’s quite easy to find the right wine pairing. You can pair it with anything you enjoy – whether that’s a full-bodied red or fresh white wine. Anything goes! If you’re grilling your octopus, you could opt for a red wine such as Merlot. Alternatively, sparkling wine will complement it perfectly. When in doubt, buy some bubbly!
Our Catch of the Day Box
Now that you know a bit more about wine pairings for seafood, it’s time to buy your fish. The Cornish Fish Co. has you covered! Our Catch of the Day Box could include fish such as plaice, lemon sole, gurnard, red mullet, hake, pollock, haddock, John Dory, skate, monk, brill, turbot, Dover sole and whiting. You can opt for one of our fish and shellfish boxes if you’re feeling a bit more experimental, or find your favourites on our online shop.
