When matching wine with food, little else is fishier than the hackneyed advice, “white wine with fish.” Each type of seafood or fish has its proper wine — and some of it is red. Swordfish, for example, is a cow that swims, a steer with gills (same goes for tuna, mahi-mahi and some cuts of salmon). Itap meaty, chewy, textured, best served seared on the outside and rare within, just like a beefsteak. This recipe is well-suited for a red wine, although of a certain sort; choose something high in acidity, light in body and low in alcohol.
HERE’S THE DISH …
Cut into chunks ½ pound swordfish and 1 ear of fresh corn, shucked and cleaned of its silk (“pre-drill” skewer holes in corn pieces with icepick or clean nail). Take 1 pound of 16-count shrimp, shells on, and toss seafood and corn with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste), juice of a half of lime, 4 apricots, pitted and halved, and remaining half of lime cut into 8 pieces. Let sit 10 minutes. Thread onto skewers, alternating seafood, apricots and lime. Grill over medium-high flame until shrimps are pink and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Serve over couscous.
… AND PAIR IT WITH
The best choice here, with the recipe’s combination of seafood, sweetness, and taut acidity, is a wine that mimics many of those same elements: something, white or red, that is low in alcohol, high in acidity, and, yes, off-dry or ebulliently fruity. Of all these elements, the most important is having a wine high in acidity, such as German riesling; northern Italian whites such as arneis or Soave; Spanish albariño; dry or medium-dry Vouvray or Muscadet from the Loire; some pinot noirs from cooler climates (Oregon, Burgundy); South African chenin blanc; top-notch Italian Verdicchio or barbera; unoaked gamay from Beaujolais; and many Rioja reds.
— Bill St. John, Special to The Denver Post
