Wine info

bobsmith833

Hi, I'm looking for a bottle of wine to go with some fish I'm cooking tomorrow night. I'm also planning to put a bit of Beethoven on in the background and thought maybe a Chardonnay would be appropriate.

I will probably be looking to spend about €300-400 on the bottle. Any ideas?

jd

Originally posted by bobsmith833
Hi, I'm looking for a bottle of wine to go with some fish I'm cooking tomorrow night.
I will probably be looking to spend about €300-400 on the bottle. Any ideas?

Hope someone else is buying...

bonkey

What fish? And what way are you cooking it?

Also, unless you're not living in Ireland, or you typo'd the price, I would hazard a guess that you wont have much choice anyway.

jc

apiou

Euro 300 or 400 - are you sure you are not talking about 30 or 40 which is really a lot of money. Your best bet in Ireland is to go into one of the better off licences and get a good French white (not a sweet - make sure you ask) A good price would be between 14 and 20 euro (that will give you a really nice wine)

bonkey

Originally posted by apiou
Euro 300 or 400 - are you sure you are not talking about 30 or 40 which is really a lot of money. Your best bet in Ireland is to go into one of the better off licences and get a good French white (not a sweet - make sure you ask) A good price would be between 14 and 20 euro (that will give you a really nice wine)

French? God no. Not for me anyway.

Its not inverse snobbery, or anti-nuclear protestation, or anything like that. Its that the French vinyards in general are too old, and havent been given enough time to renew themselves properly. While this can work well with some reds, it really doesnt do white any favours (except possibly Pouilly Fume - the only French white I still have a taste for)

For white, my current top runners would be :

1) New Zealand. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is just outstanding, and there are no shortage of good alternatives.

2) Australian. Almost as good as NZ, but they seem to have more mass produced muck as well.

3) Italian. I'm a sucker for a good, crisp Orvieto, or a Pinot Grigio (called Pinot Gris outside Italy, but I prefer the Italian produce in this area)

4) Spanish. Yes - believe it or not! A nice white Rioja is a damned fine accompaniment for white fish.

Spanish wine in Ireland has the added advantage of being underpriced. I used to get good Spanish in Oddbins for about the same price I pay for it here on the Continent, where non-Spanish is (on average) about €2-3 more expensive.

A lot of people like Californian, but I generally find it overpriced for the quality (although Fetzer is an exception - their Sundial Chardonnay is incredible, as is their entire range, including the Bonterra organic range).

Chilean white, for me, is nothing worth talking about. They do great reds, but their whites are just bland.

To be quite honest, I would actually recommend you buy something you know for a "special" meal. I tend to experiment with wines when its just myself and the GF having a glass with dinner - and that includes some more expensive bottles when the budget allows. When its an occasion, however, I stick to the tried and tested.

Of course - I'm more of a red drinker. There, I could definitely recommend some specifics

jc

bobsmith833

Well the most essential thing is not the price but the quality. If I can get a superlative wine for under €100 then that's fine, but it must have an exquisite flavour and the finest nose. I don't want my fish ruined by plonk!

jd

Originally posted by bobsmith833
Well the most essential thing is not the price but the quality. If I can get a superlative wine for under €100 then that's fine, but it must have an exquisite flavour and the finest nose. I don't want my fish ruined by plonk!

What kind of fish-
the type of wine would depend on it-
there would be a difference between mackeral(oily), tuna, salmon,cod, bass (delicate)
john

bonkey

Originally posted by bobsmith833
Well the most essential thing is not the price but the quality. If I can get a superlative wine for under €100 then that's fine, but it must have an exquisite flavour and the finest nose. I don't want my fish ruined by plonk!

Well, maybe you could give some examples of what you would class as "an exquisite flavour and the finest nose" to set us on the right track?

jc

jd

Originally posted by bobsmith833
and thought maybe a Chardonnay would be appropriate.

eh
try a nice flinty chablis depending on the fish

heres a general guide-now what type of fish are you cooking?:)

Anchovies Sauvignon Blanc, Pouilly-Fume
Calamari, (squid) fried Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet
Ceviche and Carpaccio Sauvignon Blanc
Clams or Mussels in White Wine Muscadet de Sevre et Maine, Chardonnay, light Pinot Noir, Beaujolais
Cod and Baccala Sauvignon Blanc
Cold Fish Salads Rose wines or sparkling wines
Crabs Chablis, Chardonnay, Riesling
Fish and Chips Dry Rose, Chenin Blanc, Orvietto
Fish in Butter orHollandaise Sauce Soave Classico, Pinot Grigio, Spanish whites from Rioja and Penedes
Fish in Cream Sauce White Burgundies, Sauvignon Blanc, oaked Chardonnay
Fisn Mousses or Souffles Sweet wines from Sauternes, Barsac or Hungarian Tokay, Gewurtztraminer
Fish Pates Chablis, Chenin Blanc, Mosel wines, Gewurtztraminer
Fish Stews Red wines such as Merlot or Cote Rotie
Fish Stews with Aioli or other Garlic Sauces Muscadet, Pinot Bianco, Trebbiano, Chenin Blanc
Fish with Mushrooms Red wines such as Pinot Noir, any Beaujolais wine or heavily oaked Chardonnay
Fish in the Indian or Chinese Styles Dry or semi dry Gewurtztraminer
Grilled Fish Light red wines such as Beaujolais Villages, Julianas, and nearly all wines based on Gamay grapes; Sauvignon Blanc
Halibut Chardonnay
Herring and Other Oily Fish Schnapps, sparkling wine, dry Sherry
Grouper, Trout, Bass Sauvignon Blanc, Fume Blanc, Pouilly Fume, oaked or unoaked Chardonnay, Chablis
Lobsters (boiled, steamed, grilled or in cream sauce) White Burgundy, oaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or, if you are in a daring mood, red Zinfandel or even Brunello di Montalcino
Mussels Chardonnay, Chablis, light Burgundy and Beaujolais red
Mussels in Cream Sauce Chardonnay, Macon-Villages
Mussels in Wine Chardonnay, Muscade de Sevre et Maine
Octopus in Tomato sauce Pouilly Fume, Sauvignon Blanc
Oysters (raw) Chablis (!!!), Muscadet, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Champagne
Oysters, clams, lobsters and other cooked shelfish Sauvignon Blanc, oaked Chardonnay
Salmon (Grilled) Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, red Sancerre, Chablis, Pouilly Fume
Salmon (Smoked) Chardonnay, Soave Classico, Sparkling wines
Sardines, Red Mullet Portugese vinho verde or other young unoaked whites
Scallops or Coquilles St. Jacques (Grilled) Well oaked Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
Scallops or Coquilles St. Jacques in Butter or Hollandaise Sauce Soave Classico, Pinot Grigio, Rioja whites, unoaked Chardonnay, Rose wines
Seafood Soups (Creamed) Amontillado Sherry or Madeira
Seafood Salads Pouilly-Fume, Sauvignon Blanc
Shrimp (boiled or grilled) Unoaked Chardonnay, Maconnais, Pouilly-Fuisse
Shrimp Cocktail and Shrimps with Garlic Sauvignon Blanc, Fino Sherry, Pinot Blanc, light Pinot Noir
Smoked Fish Muscadet, Riesling, Chablis, Sancerre, Pouilly Fume, white Chateauneuf du Pape
Sole, Dover Sole and Turbot Unoaked Chardonnay, Friuli-Grave, German Riesling, Sparkling Wines
Sushi and Sashimi Dry Riesling, sparkling Blanc de Blanc
Taramasalata or Ikra Greek Retsina (if you can tolerate it) or Sauvignon Blanc
Trout with Almonds Crozes-Hermitage, Chardonnay, most German whites, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc
Tuna or Swordfish (fresh) Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, oaked Chardonnay
Tuna or Swordfish in Pepper Sauce Cabernet Sauvignon, Brunello di Montalcino

bobsmith833

Originally posted by jd

What kind of fish-
the type of wine would depend on it-
there would be a difference between mackeral(oily), tuna, salmon,cod, bass (delicate)
john

Hmm... I'm leaning towards bass at the moment, probably served with a delicate gratin or Newburg sauce, with baby new potatoes and some seasonal vegetables. It will be preceded by lemongrass soup.

It's interesting you should mention mackerel actually as I have only tasted it once in my life (and that time I desecrated it completely by swilling a Guinness at the same time). How is it usually served?

bobsmith833

Originally posted by bonkey

Well, maybe you could give some examples of what you would class as "an exquisite flavour and the finest nose" to set us on the right track?

Ah, interesting question. I don't necessarily have a favourite in terms of wine flavours, I just like to have something that matches the mood of the occasion, the food and obviously the music in the background (although I tend to match the music to the food & wine rather than vice versa since there's more flexibility that way!).

A good wine I had recently was actually a Californian Chardonnay which had a lovely perfumed nose of tropical fruits and a hint of vanilla with a fruity, lemony, crisp finish. On the palate, the mouth filling flavours were balanced with a creamy texture.

bonkey

Originally posted by bobsmith833
A good wine I had recently was actually a Californian Chardonnay which had a lovely perfumed nose of tropical fruits and a hint of vanilla with a fruity, lemony, crisp finish. On the palate, the mouth filling flavours were balanced with a creamy texture.

Well, I was looking for the wine name (which would be useful) - not a description of it (which is useless).

It would also prove that you're not just extracting the urine here, because to the best of my knowledge, there isnt a single Californian white which would come remotely near the price bracket you've been mentioning - which would beg the question of why you want to spend so much when you should *know* that you can get an excellent wine for far less.

jc