Wine With...Grilled Salmon 

by Paul Lukacs and Marguerite Thomas

Selection

Approx. Price

Comments

Gallo of Sonoma,

Sonoma County (California)

Pinot Gris

2003

  $12

This soft, fragrant, but full-bodied wine echoed the salmon's rich taste and supple texture beautifully.  It was a much better match than any of the Chardonnays we tried.  We found that buttery Chardonnay, especially when oak is dominant, has a tendency to make salmon taste unpleasantly fishy.

Merry Edwards,

Russian River Valley

(California)

Pinot Noir

2002

 $32

The characteristic hint of cherry flavor and subtle tannins were a textbook illustration of why Pinot Noir is a classic partner for salmon.  As an additional bonus, this particular Pinot's secondary earthy character accented the smokiness imparted by cooking the fish on a cedar plank.

Perrin & Fils,

Rasteau

(Côtes du Rhône Villages, Rhône Valley, France)

"L'Andeol"

2003

(Imported by Vineyard Brands)

 $16 

While many big red wines can overwhelm the inherent delicacy of salmon, this one complemented it nicely.  Only partially barrel-aged, the wine's lack of oak was one element in its compatibility with the dish, and the overt fruitiness of the Grenache (80%) and Mourvèdre (20%) was another.

Chateau Roubaud,

Costieres de Nimes

(Languedoc, France)

Rosé

2004

(Imported by Broadbent Selections)

  $14

Brimful of bright red fruit flavors tempered by a cleansing streak of acidity, this  dry Rosé was a palate pleasing and summery (as well as pretty) match for the salmon.  It made the dish taste sweeter than when the fish was paired with other wines. 

Trimbach,

Alsace

(France)

Pinot Gris

2002

(Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines)

  $20

This Alsatian Pinot Gris displays plenty of autumnal (pear and apple) fruit, as well as an undertone of minerality that adds further complexity.  More nuanced than the Gallo rendition, it meshed equally well with the flavors and textures of the salmon, while being more subtle.

These five wines showed best among the fourteen different wines we tried recently with grilled salmon.  The fish, a filet of Icelandic farm-raised salmon, was seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon, and cooked atop a cedar plank on our backyard gas grill.  We served it with a warm lentil salad.