Healthy, nutritious and delicious, salmon is an extraordinary ingredient with a versatility highly appreciated by lovers of fish dishes. The recipes featuring salmon are countless, as are the possibilities for wine pairings. Here's a guide to finding the best wine and salmon pairing, taking into account various cooking methods and typical accompaniments!
Salmon: flavour, properties and culinary uses
There's a good reason why salmon is the preferred fish even for those who don't particularly enjoy seafood flavours: this fish spends part of its life in freshwater, where it's born, before migrating to the Ocean, where it remains for 2-3 years before returning to its birthplace to spawn. This territorial variety gives it a rich taste, but also a not-too-pronounced briny tone.
Protein-rich, nutritious, antioxidant and full of Omega 3, minerals and vitamins (especially B vitamins), salmon lends itself to numerous recipes: it can be used for tartare and other raw preparations (such as sushi and sashimi), enjoyed in meatballs or skewers for a tasty aperitif, or baked en croûte, accompanied by potatoes and salad. It can be appreciated grilled or as a fishburger, while inside savoury tarts it represents an excellent option for a picnic. Versatility is truly its superpower!
Wine and salmon pairing: whites and reds not to miss with the most beloved recipes!
Salmon's extraordinary adaptability is also reflected in its wine pairings. It pairs beautifully with whites, offering the palate a precious balance between briny tones and freshness, but it also manages to pair well with certain reds, provided you choose the right wine. The rule to follow is always the same: consider the cooking method and the planned accompaniments, central elements for a balanced tasting.
Elegant or casual: the versatility of smoked salmon
Served with bagels, on crostini or inside mini sandwiches, smoked salmon is the perfect solution for tasty brunches and aperitifs, from relaxed, casual ones to more refined occasions where the goal is also to make a good impression on your guests. Such a tasty ingredient also adds an extra touch of flavour to savoury tarts and energetic breakfasts, paired with classic scrambled eggs.
Never more than in this case are the characteristics of the fish decisive for the choice of wine: smoking gives the raw salmon an intense, smoky and slightly bitter aroma, which articulates the product's organoleptic sphere. The key is to select an equally aromatic, intense and structured wine with good persistence, so as not to be intimidated by the intense taste of the dish, as well as its oily texture.
Representing an excellent wine for smoked salmon is the quintessential aromatic white: Gewürztraminer, specifically, a "Justina" Gewürztraminer Alto Adige DOC 2023. Obtained from vines at least 30 years old, this South Tyrolean white captivates the sense of smell with a profusion of aromas, from the moment the bottle is uncorked to the moment the nose approaches the glass. Among the primary aromas, notes of rose and tropical fruits, such as mango and lychee, stand out. Of course, the spicy component that makes this wine famous is not lacking, a hint of nutmeg that pairs perfectly with the smoky aromas of salmon. It concludes with a lively, fresh sip, but also extremely elegant.
Which wine to drink with grilled salmon?
There are dinners with friends that require slightly more original preparations than the usual pizza delivery, but not too complex, to avoid wasting time at the stove. In these cases, a mixed grill is the alternative that generally pleases everyone, thanks to the considerable variety of proposals suitable for this cooking method.
Among fillets of meat, slices of vegetables and plant-based burgers, salmon obviously finds its place, which when grilled maintains its softness (especially if marinated before cooking) and rich taste, but which takes on a slightly bitter and smoky nuance.
This scratchy organoleptic component offers the perfect opportunity to dispel the idea that salmon and red wine don't go well together. However, you need a refreshing and light red, not too invasive, such as a "Vaio" Morellino di Scansano DOCG 2021.
This Tuscan red, obtained from pure Sangiovese grapes, is what you need to support the rich and bold flavour of grilled salmon, without creating aggressive imbalances. The credit goes to its youthful character and good freshness. A brilliant ruby red colour accompanies the tasting, paving the way for aromas of plum, raspberry, cherry and violet, with clearly perceptible mineral notes. On the palate it is soft, fresh and fruity, with moderate tannins.
Sushi, sashimi and tartare: best wines to pair with raw salmon
The choice to consume raw salmon has a significant impact on the flavours of dishes. Compared to cooked fish – with a more intense flavour and more compact consistency – the raw product maintains a soft and succulent consistency, and presents delicate flavours, among which the briny component is slightly more accentuated.
You're still faced with a blank canvas, to be enriched as desired with secondary flavours. In the case of a soft salmon and avocado tartare, for example, the oily consistencies of these two ingredients can be degreased with a splash of lemon or lime, for an even more lively result, as well as accompanied by a fragrant and fresh white.
An excellent white wine for raw salmon, in this case, is Pinot Grigio, known for its aromaticity and intense freshness. These traits can, for example, be found in a glass of Pinot Grigio Collio DOC "Locatelli" 2022, a characterful Friulian, which charms the smell with floral notes, hints of ripe apricot, pear, candied orange and nuts – as well as a pleasant and light smoky nuance – and then conquers the palate with a rich, elegant and persistent taste.
Among the most beloved raw dishes, sushi and sashimi should not be forgotten. The stylistic figure of these dishes is delicacy, generally enriched by a light touch of soy sauce and a few not-too-invasive pairings. Make way for dry and light whites, but also for lively bubbles, such as a "Berlucchi '61" Franciacorta Saten DOCG, which exploits the best characteristics of the Chardonnay grape to bring a fresh and persuasive identity to the glass at the same time.
Characterised by a refined bright straw yellow colour, and by a soft and persistent foam, this Italian sparkling wine gives the senses an aromatic bouquet of exotic fruits and candied citrus, while on the palate it displays a good structure, perfectly balancing acidity and sapidity.
Salmon en croûte: better a white or a red?
Salmon en croûte is the ideal preparation for Sunday lunches or special occasions, during which you're looking for a recipe that's easy to prepare but more original than a simple pan-fried steak.
Accompanied by baked or mashed potatoes, or by fresh salad and vegetables, this dish combines the rich and slightly briny taste of salmon (usually enriched with some herbs) with the delicate sweet note of the pastry. A good wine for salmon in this case is a white, but it's not unusual – nor wrong – to opt for a light and fruity red. A good Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2022 comes to the aid of the wine lover, a French red that brings a breath of elegance to the glass, without giving up freshness and liveliness. The intense aromas of red fruits, vanilla and sweet spices tickle the nose, inviting you to taste. The sip is bold, characterised by moderate tannins and a hint of acidity that helps degrease the palate from the oily component of the salmon.
Is the oven hot? Is the barbecue ready? All you have to do is find the perfect bottle to pair with salmon by exploring the Svinando catalogue!