Trying to find the right wine when going out to eat can be pretty difficult if you’re not sure how to correctly pair it with your entree. Some say a quick little cheat is that red wine goes with meat while white goes with fish, but in all honesty, it doesn’t work like that all the time. There are many variants of red and white wine, such as dry and sweet variations of both. To make it even more complicated, some red wines can actually pair nicely with fish too and vice versa.
When going to any restaurant, you should always be prepared so that you can make the most out of your meal. Here at Cork, we serve a wide variety of food from red meat to fish so that any red or white wine lover will have something to pair it with. Here are some great wine pairings you should try with our entrees.
New Orleans Crab Cakes
To make crab cakes, combine light, sweet crabmeat with crispy, fried crumbs and rich cream sauces. Some wines to try with this would be a sparkling wine or a light white wine like Sauvignon Blanc. Sparkling wines like Champagne of Cava will have a dry clean finish that will help clear the palate with each bite making it a perfect fit for a crab cake. The Sauvignon Blanc’s crisp finish is also perfect for the many herbs and seasonings in the crab cake itself.
Salmon
Salmon is a fairly versatile fish so depending on how it’s cooked and the way it’s prepared will determine the type of wine you should pair it with. Specifically at Cork, we serve our salmon two ways: alongside Jumbo Shrimp with Crabmeat Meyer Lemon Butter Sauce, and with Apricot Stone Mustard Glaze. With the lemon butter sauce, a Chardonnay with a bit of oak or a Sauvignon Blanc will best highlight the dish. With the sweetness of the apricot glaze, you’ll want to steer clear of the sweet wines and go for something that has citrus notes or a mineral character to cut through the sweetness like a Pinot Grigio or Albariño.
Filet Mignon
Filet Mignon is an incredibly tender cut of meat and is packed with flavor. A simple salt and pepper seasoning will do perfectly with a light Pinot Noir; but if a sauce is added, picking a dry wine will be your best option. Red, dry wines such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah/Shiraz are excellent choices that will complement the bold texture and flavor of the fillet.
Chicken
Likewise with salmon, chicken can be cooked with many different seasonings, and the type of meat you choose whether that be white or dark meat. To keep it simple, white meat like chicken breast will pair best with white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, while dark meats will go well with medium-bodied red wines such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.
Come Dine with us at Cork!
Becoming a wine connoisseur is no easy task and takes plenty of time and practice before you get to truly understand wine pairings. Though you could practice this skill at home or a bar, why not come to Cork and get the true experience of wine and dine? Make your reservation today!