Hosting a seafood lunch? Wine columnist Dennis Knill gives a food selection paired with sauvignon blanc from one of our leading wineries.
’21 Brancott Estate Single Vineyard Letter Series
RRP$25
‘19 Church Road Grand Reserve
RRP$34
‘19 Stoneleigh Organic
RRP$20
’21 Stoneleigh Wild Valley
RRP$18
’15 Brancott Estate Marlborough Single Vineyard Chosen Rows
RRP$70
If a seafood lunch for a group of friends sounds like a bit of a marathon, the first masterstroke is to keep it simple. The second masterstroke is to make sure the offerings are easy and quick to prepare and partner with a happy marriage of good wine. Well, that was our mission for a lunch we recently hosted for 10 close friends.
Seafood is light, comforting, and playful, and if artfully presented is an entertainer’s best friend. Opting for a culinary journey of small tasting dishes with good drops by the glass to excite the senses, we started with scallops in the shell with ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil. This was matched with Brancott Estate Single Vineyard Letter Series, a handcrafted wine produced from fresh citrus and packed with fruity flavours and aromas.
A delicious platter of salmon with lemon and parsley butter enhanced with Church Road Grand Reserve was a picture of balance. This wine, with its lively fruity aromas and subtle oak finish, is seriously good.
And how could we possibly ignore Clevedon oysters given sharpness by red onion, chives, and sweet vinegar, paired with Stoneleigh Organic, a clean, vibrant mouth-filling wine that’s crisp and refreshing on the palate.
Steamed prawns served with aioli and fresh coriander was matched with Stoneleigh Wild Valley – the ripe, herbaceous aromas and flavours proof that good food and wine never goes wanting.
But save your applause for last. Nothing is too complicated with pan-fried snapper served with pencil leeks, oyster mushrooms, rocket, and a perfectly cooked poached egg to strip back the flavours. And to step it up even further, Brancott Estate Single Vineyard Chose Rows is skilfully crafted and finely balanced with intensely powerful up-front fruit: sauvignon blanc at its very best.
