Last in a four-part series on pairing food and wine.In the world of matching wine with food, little else is fishier than the hackneyed advice, "White wine with fish." "Just any sort of white wine" isn't the right advice. Each type of seafood or fish has its proper type of wine — and some of it is red.The same guidelines apply to the best pairings of wine and fish that also apply to matching wine and all those foods that don't have fins and gills. That is, what matters are certain elements or components in the wine and in the food, things such as salt, sweetness, acidity and fat. For example, a plain slab of halibut, grilled with a pinch of salt, calls for one type of wine — a Macon blanc from Burgundy, for example — while the same fish, grilled and topped with a mango-cilantro salsa, won't be as delicious with the same wine (the sweetness of the salsa will make the Macon taste bitter). Instead, an off-dry riesling from Germany would be perfect, because sweetness in food requires the same level of sweetness in wine.

One of the most defining characteristics of seafood, as distinct from freshwater fish, is its saltiness. Seafood grows up, after all, breathing salt water its entire life. Foods high in salt require either a high acid wine or a wine with marked sweetness. That's why oysters and Chablis (or Muscadet) work well together. Here are some specific recommendations for various sorts of seafood and the wines they love best:Oysters: Try wines as high in acidity as you can tolerate, especially for the brinier bivalves such as French Belons. Go for Muscadet, Chablis premier cru, Sancerre, dry Vouvray, or the driest, most highly acidic of white wines, trocken German riesling. Less salty, creamy oysters — for instance Washington Olympias — go well with wines of tamer acidity, such as Alsatian pinot blanc. Crab: The preparation matters with this quintessentially sweet-salty shellfish. Plain steamed crab, with no butter dip, will taste delicious with softer versions of sauvignon blanc (from California, say, or South America), while richer preparations — butter dip, crab cakes, chowder — need wines high in acidity, such as those listed above for briny oysters.

Lobster: Treat lobster like crab, though lobster flesh has less sweetness than crab flesh and, so, won't require exactly similar wines. A fine match for plain, steamed lobster, even with butter, is Macon-Villages. Monkfish also fits in this category, as does shrimp. Again, the preparation matters a great deal. If fatty, go for high acidity. If sweet or slightly sweet, be sure there is some sweetness in the wine. If acidic (tomatoes, for example, or vinegars), the wine must have acidity, too. Oily-fleshed seafood: This sort of seafood (sardines, some tuna, salmon, herring, some swordfish, pink or coho trout) may be the healthiest of all fish because of its high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. It's also one of the hardest to match with wine. That's because the same fatty oils can make many a dry wine taste metallic. If it's possible to prepare these fish with tomatoes, olives and herbs — as Veracruz, for example, or Provencal — a light red such as Beaujolais or Oregon pinot noir might be the ticket.

Firm-fleshed seafood: Swordfish, shark, tuna, mahi-mahi and some sea bass are really cows that swim. They're meat, chewy, textured, best served seared on the outside and rare within. Even in the simplest preparations, seafood such as this can handle red wine. But the red needs to be high in acidity and moderate in both tannin and alcohol, such as Cote de Beaune rouge, Oregon pinot noir or lighter Chianti Classico or Valpolicella. If you wish to serve a white wine here, go for those with some oomph, such as Alsatian pinot gris or gewurztraminer, Puligny-Montrachet or Australian riesling.best kind of dry white wineFlaky-fleshed seafood: Halibut, sole, cod and roughy are perhaps the most modest of seafood fishes. top 10 wine producers 2014They are often served in the simplest of manners, a la meuniere, for example, or simply broiled, with the briefest of cooking. buy best wine online india

They require wines with equal modesty. An enormous California chardonnay, for example, would be boorish alongside any of them. Quiet, demur wines such as Vinho Verde, Greek moschofilero, or much Spanish albarino are the ticket.Many of the same principles that apply to the matches of wine and seafood apply to those of wine with freshwater fish, although the emphasis on saltiness is of course diminished.Oily-fleshed freshwater fish: Salmon raised on freshwater farms and most trout are some of the oiliest fish available. best deals on bulk wineAs such, wines that are high in acidity make good pairings at the table. best white organic wineSalmon often can tolerate a light red wine, especially if the salmon is prepared with additional elements and flavors such as tomatoes, lemon peel or olives. buy wine glasses online south africa

Light pinot noir is a famous pairing.Other freshwater fish: Bass, perch, pike and catfish are much like flaky-fleshed seafood, though again with lower salt content. In some cases, with plainer preparations, this is the place for larger wines. The lower salt content of these fish can tolerate the lower acidity of, say, most California or Australian chardonnays. Just make sure that the alcohol level isn't off the charts (keep it to below 13 percent).Part one: Wine and food rulesBill St. John has been writing and teaching about wine for more than 40 years.best books on italian wineOur hand-selected wines are chosen from the very best regional varietals produced by winemakers with exceptional reputations. top 10 wine songsFrom the well-known producers to hardworking small winemakers, we strive to provide a creative and distinct offering of wines that can be enjoyed by the connoisseur and newcomer alike.french wine is the best in the world

We welcome you to our house and thank you for your patronage and your continued support. Each varietal on the following pages has a brief description of the expected flavors and aromatic profiles. If you would like to know more about any of our selections, please do not hesitate to ask. If there is anything we love more than great wine, it’s sharing and talking about great wine with our friends. Josh Goldman, Beverage Director Sparkling Wines & Champagne With flavors of apple, pear, citrus, and vanilla with hints of nuts, these delicate wines offer so much more than meets the eye. Whether you are celebrating a momentous occasion or just enjoying life, you can’t go wrong with these offerings. Chardonnays boast an impressive range of flavors from the expected buttered, oak overtones to the fresh, fruit flavors of apple, pear, tropical, citrus, and melon, leaving a lasting palate impression. The best Chardonnays are said to come from cool climates like Burgundy or California’s Carneros District, but the variety also adapts well to other regions like Australia, California’s Napa Valley, and even up-and-coming South Africa.

Sauvignon Blanc produces a crisp, dry, refreshing white wine. The purest expression of the Sauvignon Blanc grape is found in France, in the Loire Valley (Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé) and Bordeaux. However, it also makes superb wines in New Zealand, California, Australia, and South Africa. Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris is a lighter-bodied, high-acid, delicate white, although the top producers turn out wines that have more of everything: more intense aromas, flavors, and weight. Pinot Gris offers a richer option that hints at floral notes, while its counterpart, Pinot Grigio, is lighter with crisp and sometimes spicy undertones. The world of white wines is a great one. From the smooth aromatic tones of Viognier to the fragrant crispness of Moscato, our alternative white wine varietals offer a great selection. No matter what mood or pairing you’re facing, these wines will invariably fit the bill. Blending usually adds complexity and depth to a wine. Refreshing and edgy blends of Sauvignon Blanc and luscious Semillon are the norm in white Bordeaux wines.

The wonderful white Rhône blends incorporating fragrant Viognier, herbaceous Roussanne, or creamy Marsanne are wonderful examples. In many cases, this is where the winemakers make their biggest impressions on the wine world. The often-titled King of Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon offers a robust experience that can present a number of flavors from dark fruits and oak to black pepper and vanilla. New World Cabernet Sauvignon such as the greats from Napa Valley boast flavors of licorice, plums, and vanilla, while Old World variants from Bordeaux suggest tobacco and black cherries. Pinot Noir is a dry, red wine that typically exhibits fruit-forward character with strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry fruit presented on the palate. Notable earth-driven layers have been known to express themselves as well. Pinot Noir, also known as Red Burgundy, is a temperamental grape but has made delicious wines from France, California, and Oregon. Merlot is softer, fruitier, and earlier-maturing than the aforementioned Cabernet Sauvignon, yet it displays many of the same aromas and flavors.

Black cherry, currants, and cedar are expressed in the best examples of this wine, along with mint, tobacco, and tea leaves. Zinfandel is a heady, full-bodied red with ripe raspberry fruit accented by pepper and spice. In most cases, its fruit is complemented by hints of bay leaves, sweet thyme, and basil that has gone to seed. Red wines are so abundant and expressive that one would be sorely remiss if sticking to the standard options. The world has erupted with alternative varietals from Argentinean Malbec’s dark and ripe fruit to Australia’s Shiraz. For the adventurous at heart, these offerings will not only intrigue your mind, but will enrich you palate. Blends are fascinating in their endless possibilities, and we truly enjoy finding new, delicious blends to offer our customers. A classic blend of the fruits and spices of a Grenache, the pepper of a Shiraz, and the sturdy Mourvèdre is only one example of the wonderful wines in this category. This is where the gloves come off and the winemakers really show up.