Friday, June 25, 2010

Red Wines That Go Well With Fish & Chicken

Don't be afraid to drink red wine with fish and chicken dishes.


Some people prefer red wine and some prefer white wine. It's just that simple. But all of those delicious foods that are so commonly recommended with one particular type of wine seem to leave out the people who like the other type with their meals. Forget that. There is no law saying you can't enjoy a red wine with fish or chicken. Don't be afraid to go red just because the meat on your plate is white. There are several types of red wines that pair beautifully with chicken and fish dishes.


Pinot Noir


The idea of avoiding red wines with fish is that the flavor of fish is too delicate to stand up to the bold flavor of wine. Generally, this is good advice. However, there are some fish that have far stronger flavors than others. Salmon and mackerel, for example, are dark colored and bold-tasting fish that are perfect for a certain red wine.


Pour yourself some Pinot Noir and dig into a fresh slab of salmon and then try to imagine any white wine complementing the fish so well. Fruity Pinot Noirs with mild tannins are a classic match with this type of seafood, according to the Wine Lovers Page website.


Beaujolais


There are down-home chicken meals that seem to be made for drinking red wine. If you are having a chicken barbecue, frying chicken or roasting a chicken, then you can't go wrong with Beaujolais. These fruity French red wines are an excellent pairing with these rustic chicken dishes. Even wine drinkers who do not typically care for red wines often like Beaujolais because of its unique, almost candylike hints of flavor and its food-friendly versatility.


Chianti


Any chicken or seafood dish that involves pasta is likely to be a good opportunity to break out the Chianti. Chianti is a red Italian wine made in Tuscany that is famous for its straw-covered bottle, although they aren't always bottled that way today. The wine has a distinct cherry and leathery taste that is widely enjoyed.


Although Chianti is perfect for red meats such as flank steak, it is among the best choices when selecting a dinner wine with Italian dishes such as chicken cacciatore or Tetrazzini, according to the World Wide Wine website.


Barolo








Coq au vin is a classic French dish made of chicken braised with mushrooms, garlic and red wine. Drinking the same type of wine the chicken was cooked in makes for a natural complement of flavors. Often the wine selected to pair with coq au vin is Barolo.


Barolo is a bold red wine with a typically hefty price tag attached. This wine from Northern Italy contains hints of chocolate, leather, licorice and figs. The wine is often paired with gamy red meats and lamb, but using Barolo to make coq au vin and then enjoying the wine with the meal is a great way to combine a bold red with a white meat meal.

Tags: wine with, fish that, chicken dishes, fish chicken, Pinot Noir, type wine