Pairing Wine With Salmon

By Dan Radil

One of the great things about living in the Pacific Northwest is the availability of fresh, local seafood. Penn Cove mussels, oysters from Taylor Shellfish, and Puget Sound salmon are just a few of the many possibilities that can be enjoyed practically year-round.

Salmon is an especially prized local treat, and the proper wine pairing with this rich seafood can make a good thing taste even better.

Preparation method is always the key to determining a reasonable food/wine pairing, and because salmon can be prepared in so many ways, it opens the door to a myriad of possible wine choices…from red to white and points in-between.

WHERE TO BEGIN?

Salmon is oily, high in protein, and packed with Omega-3 fatty acids that make it borderline-opulent seafood. Choosing a wine to serve with it, or any food for that matter, should start with an easy-to-follow, “complement versus contrast” food preparation guideline.

When the salmon is prepared simply, such as baked, poached or topped with Beurre blanc, try a big, flavorful white wine such as Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne, or Marsanne to complement the food. These wines make perfect complementary selections because their full-bodied, viscous qualities mesh beautifully with the richness of the fish.

If contrasting the food with the wine, high-acid white wines such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon Blanc, or high-acid reds like Gamay or Pinot Noir make excellent salmon-pairing options.

Rotie Cellars, Two Mountain Winery, Revelry Vintners and Truth Teller Winery all make wine that pairs nicely in different ways with salmon.

The combination works because the wine’s acidity cuts through the fat content of the fish, allowing you to taste the distinct flavor characteristics of each. Try these wines with a grilled, pan-seared or herb-encrusted salmon entrée.And don’t forget to include Champagne, sparkling wine and Rosés in the “contrast category” as well. Many of these wines are produced in a brighter, leaner style with crisp acidity, so they also make excellent choices to contrast and serve with salmon mousse, smoked salmon or even a creamy salmon chowder.

COMPLEMENTARY MATCHES

Seattle winemaker Andrew Latta is doing an amazing job at Latta Wines, producing wines that are scoring 90+ point ratings and earning a reputation for being stylish, sexy, and cellar-worthy.

His Latta Wines 2013 Roussanne (about $30) continues to drink beautifully, with white flower aromatics, tropical fruit flavors, and a rich, lengthy finish with big mouthfeel that also suggests a trace of minerality. It’s a natural to pair not only with salmon, but other seafood including lobster, crab, and halibut.

The Rotie Cellars 2016 Southern White (about $32) is another terrific, salmon-friendly wine choice from winemaker Sean Boyd. This Rhone varietal blend of Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne explodes with complex flavors and aromas of stone fruits, pear, starfruit, and honeysuckle that melt into a big, round finish with notes of almond and marzipan. This wine earned double gold honors at the 2017 Bellingham Northwest Wine Festival and can be found at the winery’s tasting rooms in Walla Walla and Seattle.

Chardonnay and salmon frequently make a nice pairing and Truth Teller Winery’s “The Stand Up” 2016 Chardonnay (about $25) provides the seafood with both complementary and contrasting qualities. Woodinville winemaker Chris Loeliger fermented the bulk of the wine in stainless steel, allowing the citrus flavors and aromas to come through both for starters and on the extreme finish.

In between, there are gentle touches of pear, lemon chiffon, and baked apple that should pair well with the richness of the salmon.

SHARPER CONTRASTS

Two Mountain Winery’s 2016 Riesling (about $15) from winemaker brothers Matt and Patrick Rawn in Washington’s Rattlesnake Hills Appellation is, quite simply, a winner.

Crisp apple, lychee, Meyer lemon, and perfectly balanced acidity make this a great choice to serve with salmon. An added bonus: the wine’s gentle sweetness offers a nice contrast to any seafood that’s prepared a bit on the spicy side.

The pretty-in-pink color of Walla Walla’s Revelry Vintners 2016 Rosé (about $16) is an eye-catching start to an excellent salmon-pairing wine.

Fragrant aromatics and flavors of strawberry, green melon, raspberry, and kiwi fruit lead off, with a linen-crisp finish that will contrast beautifully with the fat content of any seafood. It’s an affordable and flat-out delicious choice that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

While Oregon may have a reputation for producing world-class Pinot Noir, there are several Washington wineries with Pinots of their own that offer a formidable challenge. A perfect example is the Palencia Winery 2015 Pinot Noir (about $36), crafted by winemaker Victor Palencia and sourced from the Ancient Lakes AVA.

This exquisite wine displays darker cherry and black currant fruits, hints of star anise and toasted oak, and just enough earthiness and pomegranate-like acidity on the finish to remind you you’re drinking Pinot Noir. Try it with grilled or barbequed salmon for what is certain to be a memorable food/wine combination.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dan Radil is a freelance wine writer and educator based in Bellingham, WA., and has been an avid follower and supporter of the Washington wine industry since the mid-1980s. He currently contributes to Wine Press Northwest and Bellingham Alive Magazine, is President of the Whatcom Beer & Wine Foundation, and produces a wine blog called: danthewineguy.com.