Wine with Fish and Chips – Food Matching

We all know that white wine and fish is a great combination but, to choose the perfect match for wine with fish and chips, you need to consider, not just the fish itself but also the batter and extras such as salt and vinegar (vinegar can kill the flavours of a wine).

So, what wine should I match with fish and chips?

I think the best approach is to choose a fresh, zingy light white wine like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with a good dollop of citrus which acts like a squeeze of lemon with the seafood. I would perhaps suggest Cloudy Bay or perhaps the St Helena Single Vineyard wine, both are crisp, and the St Helena is quite dry, yet fruity enough to deal with fish and chips. Or a really dry, lime-y riesling from Australia would work really well, as would a Gavi from Italy – try the Gavi di Gavi La Meirana from Broglia. Alternatively you can try and a richer rounder white with a bit of spice like a Torrontes from Argentina or maybe a Chilean Chardonnay with good bit of oak in it, both of these should be rich enough to cope with the batter and chips. Perhaps try the Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Chardonnay, a great oak Chardonnay that always puts my in mind of a good 1er Cru Burgundy, perhaps not surprising considering Lapostolle’s French connections (they are owned by the same French family that own Grand Marnier).

If you don’t like fish and prefer chicken, sausages or burgers, you are in luck – most red wines will go with these, and any white wine goes with chicken.

And don’t forget rosé wine with fish and chips. A Spanish or Portuguese rosé would be a little fuller bodied and better rounded than a white wine.

The luxurious option is Champagne. It is an absolutely excellent and classic wine that goes brilliantly with fish and chips, the dryness and the bubbles make it a perfect combination. But if you are on a budget look for a good dry Cava or Prosecco.

Not Just wine with fish and chips!

At the end of the day it is all about personal taste. For me, there is nothing wrong with a good, strong cup of tea!

Enjoy,

Dominic @ Fareham Wine Cellar

Update 08/08/12 And here is a late runner, Fino Sherry – Fish and chips and… sherry | This is Devon – not that much of a surprise, when I have visited Jerez, you basically get Fino sherry throughout the meal and it works surprisingly well with their fish-centric cuisine.

Read more about wine with fish and chips at Susie and Peter’s website too.