Ocean meets Wine
Seafood and fish, paired with delicious wines, sounds like beaches, lively promenades and a wide horizon. Whether prepared Nordic, Asian or Mediterranean: The delights of the oceans harmonize perfectly with German wines if you take a few tips to heart.
Facts
-
70 %
of the earth's surface is made up by the oceans
-
11.034 m
the Mariana Trench is deep
-
9.000 species
different creatures live in the Mediterranean
The great variety of seafood invites you to be creative in the kitchen. And the great variety of German white and rosé wines makes it easy to find just the right wine to go with your crustaceans, mussels and seafood delights. As a rule, rosé or white wines are better companions for shellfish and crustaceans than red wines. This is because the protein of the seafood reacts with the tannins contained in the red wine – and that often leads to a dull, metallic taste.
The classic appetizer is a shrimp or prawn cocktail with a lush cocktail sauce. Since the crabmeat is subtly sweet, the appetizer may even be served with canned fruit such as peach or pineapple pieces. A strong, pleasantly dry single-site Riesling, to be found in many German wine-growing regions, is a harmonious companion for the shrimp cocktail. And if you serve the prawn cocktail along with the aperitif, you will be delighted to find how well it is suited to Winzersekt Brut with Riesling or Pinot Blanc as a base wine.
In the Mediterranean cuisine, crustaceans are often sautéed in a pan with olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and herbs, and they are often served alongside pasta. The fine vegetable aromas are nicely accentuated by a chewy Silvaner or a complex Sauvignon Blanc.
Fans of Asian food may use crustaceans in a Thai curry, prepared with ample amounts of ginger, chili and fresh, crisp vegetables. Lovely with Riesling, Muscatel and Scheurebe with subtle residual sugar. If you prefer dry wines, try your Thai curry with a creamy Pinot Blanc.
Mussels or cockles boast tender meat and a subtle taste. As a rule, they are steamed and served with a sauce that is not too dominant and uses root vegetables, white wine, pepper, cream or tomato puree as ingredients. These mussels also taste great in Mediterranean pasta dishes. Ideally, they are accompanied by not too full-bodied and dry white wines such as Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc or Silvaner. A Portugieser rosé is another great choice.
A dry Winzersekt is not the only suitable companion for oysters, which are enjoyed raw, very well chilled and with just a few splashes of lemon juice. Their pure taste also goes very well with a light white wine with subtle aromas, such as Chasselas from the Markgräflerland region, an Auxerrois from the upper reaches of the Moselle or a Pinot Blanc from Franconia. The adventurous among you might want to try and combine oysters with noble sweet wines, as the Russian tsars used to do. A Riesling Auslese or Beerenauslese from the Moselle or the Middle Rhine region that has aged for a long time is an excellent choice. The saltiness of the oyster will interplay with the slate minerality and the mature fruitiness of these wines.
Seafood such as squid or octopus is often fried and served with a dip of aioli. They go very well with a crisp, fresh and dry Pinot Noir rosé or a dry Pinot Gris. If the shellfish is thinly sliced and served as a carpaccio, marinated in lime juice and olive oil, a dry Silvaner or Sauvignon Blanc might prove to be the best companion.
During the barbecue season, lobster or crayfish can be cut in half lengthwise and roasted on the shell, merely seasoned with butter, salt and pepper. The hearty roast aromas of the barbecue render the taste of the crustaceans even more intense. Consequently, they can take full-bodied wines with wooden cask aromas – such as barrique Chardonnay or Pinot Blanc from the Pfalz region or Baden.
Shellfish such as scampi and prawns are roasted in a grill tray inside their shell, so they don’t lose too much of their juice. All seafood should never be cooked for too long or over too much heat. This kind of seafood likes a fresh Pinot Blanc.
Fish such as trout, char and gilthead are often softer and juicier when grilled wrapped in tin foil rather than directly on the grate. Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Silvaner are perfect partners. A light Riesling from the Moselle with subtle fruitiness is welcome as well.
If the fish is prepared directly on the grate or in a grill tray, maybe even marinated or strongly seasoned, it requires a partner such as a stronger Riesling or Chardonnay. A lightly chilled dry red wine can also be an adequate companion for heartily seasoned fish.
Whole fish with herbs can take a juicy Silvaner, which also boats herbal aromas – or even a red wine that is not too full-bodied.
Where is the northernmost vineyard in Germany?
Germany's northernmost vineyard is located on Sylt. On 3,000 square meters, interested people have taken over the sponsorship of 555 vines, from which the "Söl'viin" has been produced since 2014.
Varietals
More recipe ideas
a Christmassy dessert Plum roaster with cinnamon ice cream
a Christmassy dessert
- 1 kg Zwetschgen (frisch oder TK)
- 100 Gramm Zucker
- 0.5 TL gemahlener Zimt
- Eine Prise Nelkenpulver
- 50 ml Pflaumenschnaps
- 50 Gramm dunkler Rohrzucker
- 2 EL alter Balsamicoessig
- 200 Gramm Zucker
- 4 Eigelb
- 500 ml Sahne
Plum rings:
Wash, deseed and quarter the plums. Spread the sugar evenly in a non-stick pan and melt slowly over a medium heat. Increase the temperature and immediately add the fruit, schnapps and spices. Stir until the mixture caramelises.
Stir in the muscovado sugar and balsamic vinegar, spread onto a cold plate after approx. 3 minutes.
<p
<p>Cinnamon ice cream:
Combine the sugar and egg yolks and stir the two ingredients over a bain-marie until frothy.
Whip the cream, then carefully mix both mixtures and add three teaspoons of cinnamon. Carefully mix the cinnamon into the mixture again.
Pour the finished mixture into any (cake) tin or small dish, cover with aluminium foil and place in the freezer for at least three hours.
Place the plums on four deep plates or small bowls, cut off 2 – 3 ice lollies each and place on top, serve immediately.
- Gewürztraminer (trocken)
to sweet selections Apple doughnuts with vanilla sauce
to sweet selections
- 5 große, säuerliche Äpfel
- 200 Gramm Mehl
- 2 Eier
- 250 ml Milch
- 2 EL Rum
- Nach Bedarf Schmalz oder Öl
- Nach Belieben Zimt, Zucker, Salz
Peel the apples and remove the core, cut into finger-thick, even slices. Drizzle with rum and sugar. Leave to infuse.
Stir the batter, it should be quite thick. Turn the apple rings in it and bake floating in hot fat until golden brown.
<p
<p>Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with cinnamon and sugar.
- Riesling (süß & edelsüß)
- Scheurebe (süß & edelsüß)
with white wine Cauliflower soup
with white wine
- 3 Stück Schalotten
- 500 Gramm Blumenkohl
- 20 Gramm Butter
- 1 TL Fenchelsaat
- 50 ml Weißwein
- 800 ml Gemüsebrühe
- 100 ml Schlagsahne
- 1 Prise Zucker
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Peel the shallots and cut into slices.
Clean and chop the cauliflower.
Melt the butter in a pan, sauté the shallots with the fennel seeds over a medium heat for 3 minutes until colourless. Add the cauliflower, sauté for 2 minutes, season with salt and sugar.
<p
<p>Deglaze with white wine, bring to the boil and top up with vegetable stock and whipping cream. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes.
Blend with a hand blender, adding stock if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
Serve drizzled with a few drops of olive oil.
- Silvaner (trocken)
in a bacon coating Lamb
in a bacon coating
- 4 Stück Lammlachse à 150 g
- 4 Scheiben Bacon
- 0,1 Liter Wein
- 0,3 Liter Gemüsebrühe
- 1 kleine Schalotte
- 20 Gramm Butter
- 4 EL Olivenöl
- je 2 Zweige Thymian, Rosmarin, Salbei
- nach Geschmack Salz & Pfeffer
Season the lamb salmon with pepper and massage 2 tbsp of olive oil into the meat. Finely chop the thyme, rosemary and sage and season the meat in the herbs. Marinate in the fridge for a few hours.
<p
<p>Wrap the meat with the bacon slices and sear on all sides in the remaining olive oil. Continue to cook for approx. 4 minutes on each side over a low heat (the cooking time depends on the thickness of the lamb loin - it is best to do a pressure test). Then wrap in aluminium foil and leave to rest in the oven at 80 °C – so they remain juicy and slightly pink on the inside.
This goes well with Bärlauch risotto.
- Dornfelder (trocken)
