The Grapevine

Food & Wine Pairing: Sushi

August 19th, 2016

Since I managed to have sushi twice in the past three days, I thought it might be time to revisit a pairing that isn’t often considered when creative food and wine pairings are being discussed. [level-members]

And that’s a shame, because there’s a lot more variety to sushi than fish wrapped in rish and doused with soy sauce. The variety can be found not only in the flavors of different fish you might think of, but their preparation, as well, which can include elements like roe and fish skin. Wasabi and ginger are typically part of the mix.

The acknowledged go-to wines for sushi are white: Riesling and Champagne or other sparklers. And you can’t go wrong there. But if you get more adventurous with your sushi choices, you can do the same with your wine accompaniment.

A lighter chilled red can be a great choice. I’ve had more success with new-world styles, though that’s not a hard-and-fast rule. Gamay can be a great choice, too.

And, of course, the go-to wines aren’t necessarily the beverage of choice for many. That would be sake, and on sake, we’ll have to leave you to your own devices as we’re just not knowledgeable to provide any meaningful advice. [/level-members]