Food and wine make one of life’s most natural pairings, a bit like Abbott and Costello, Fred and Wilma or yin and yang. Frequently asked questions when it comes to these two of life’s best gifts are, “What wine goes best with this food?” or “What food best pairs with this wine?” These are old questions and can open debate on more levels than we have the time or inclination to address.
So, let’s rein in this topic and deal with a more specific and personal arena that I’ve had a struggle or two with over the years: What wine goes best with sushi?
As we all know, necessity is the mother of invention, and invention is typically the byproduct of trial and error. So it is with sushi and wine. Sake is the traditional beverage of choice for pairing with sushi, but, not so sadly, I have yet to acquire a taste for this stony, yeasty, mildly sweet and full-bodied rice wine, particularly when served at the usually warm temperature. Of course, there’s the harmonious union of the ice-cold, malty effervescence of beer to pair with those wasabi-infused, seaweed-wrapped pillows of pleasure.
The fact is, an enormous number of us prefer wine; and while it doesn’t seem quite so natural, with a little bit of thought you can pick some wines that are perfectly delicious with sushi and sashimi. There is, for instance, a wine that is cold, light and bubbly like beer, and crisp, yeasty and sometimes sweet-edged like sake: Dry or brut champagne. Whether French, Californian, Spanish or otherwise, a dry, steely crisp sparkling wine does a great job of freshening the palate between bites of hamachi, maguro or even tamago (egg) sushi. You can’t go wrong, but it seems almost decadent to be drinking a $100 bottle of creamy, delicate Perrier-Jouet “Fleur de Champagne” with rice. Ah, but what a way to go.
There is a downside to the bubbly option, beyond the potential for a second mortgage to afford a bottle. If you don’t rifle through the bottle in one sushi sitting then you may end up with a flat, lemony and unsatisfying wine.
The good news is that big, bold and pricey cabernet sauvignon, merlot or red blends do not lend themselves very well to a perfect sushi pairing, and typically neither does the high-dollar, buttery oak-infused California-style chardonnay.
So, what’s left? Well, just about a tsunami of options that would add a perfectly pleasing accompaniment for sushi, and usually at a price that’s as palatable as a perfectly prepared salmon roll.
Here’s a list of a few wines that, after exhausting experimentation in the realm of sushi, I found provided a Zen-like magic carpet ride of gastronomical proportions (or they just tasted really good).
Delmas 2004 Blanquette de Limoux Cuvee Berlene Brut $10
Here’s a delicious French sparkling wine that delivers the sushi goods without the true champagne price tag. This little beauty hits on many levels, including the price, which makes the risk of losing a few bubbles way easier to swallow. This dry, creamy and full-bodied wine with a beautiful yeasty aroma and flavors of toasty green apples and lemon is just the ticket to cleanse the palate between nibbles of sushi and it comes from “Vegan” certified organic grapes from and area of France known to be the origin of all sparkling wine.
Two Mountain 2006 Dry Riesling $12
This Washington riesling from the Rattlesnake Hills delivers just what the sushi chef ordered to pair with raw fish sitting on mildly vinegary rice. This wine is mildly sweet and delectable with lots of peach, apricot and floral notes on the nose with tantalizing flavors of really ripe grapefruit and Mandarin orange that just screams for a spicy tuna roll.
Chateau Ducasse 2005 Bordeaux Blanc $13
A classic white Bordeaux blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon. This wine has verve and nerve for miles. Very dry and citrusy, the Chateau Ducasse offers a clean minerality with a dash of herb and shows a fantastic balance and finesse. If you are eating raw seafood with seaweed and rice, try this on for size. You won’t be disappointed.
Albert Mann 2005 Vin D’ Alsace Pinot Blanc $14
This Alsatian pinot blanc has a bit more weight that its Bordeaux brethren, but certainly delivers as a supper sushi suitor. It has impressive flavors of pear, melon and green apple with a silky, creamy texture that leaves you begging for another sip.
Jeff Wicklund can be reached at 425-737-2600, 360-756-0422 or wick@purplesmilewines.com.
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