Salmon Season

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. The spring run of salmon is beginning to show up almost everywhere you shop. There are so many great ways to prepare salmon and so many wines that go well with it. Today we’ll look at some of your wine options when you’re serving fresh salmon..

For folks here in the northwest the spring salmon run is always a favorite time of the year to enjoy the best food, wine and friends. Since the salmon is so fresh and tasty by itself; a simple preparation is always a winner. I prefer grilling. I lightly coat the fish in extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle sparingly with kosher salt and white pepper on the flesh side. I begin always with the skin side down on a fairly warm grill and cook it most of the way skin side down. Then I turn it to sear the top and to put a few grill marks on it. The worst thing you can do is overcook it. No wine will make up for that. I’m almost always in the mood for red wine with salmon so a Pinot Noir fits the bill very well. If I have a guest that prefers white wine then a nice not too oaky Chardonnay is good. Chilled poached salmon is wonderful on a salad with fresh fruit. Serve it with a drier style of Riesling or Gewürztraminer. The most important thing to remember is not to select a wine that will over power the salmon, look for a wine with good acid and lower tannins for reds and seek out whites that are not too heavily oaked. Most of all enjoy the catch and thanks for joining me on today’s Vine to Wine.