By The Glass
IVY NAGAYAMA
Wines pair well with
traditional or new sushiIn Japanese culture, sushi is considered an art form because its appearance is just as important as how it tastes.
Chefs from different regions roll it and arrange it on the plate according to their own styles, and they spend years learning the craft. The essence of sushi is purity, and the traditional complement to this wonderful delicacy is pure and simple sake.
Times have changed. I am always amazed by the new sushi creations I see. Some are astonishing, and, quite frankly, combinations of flavors I would never have considered before. So, do we stick to sake? If you wish. Or beer? I think, however, you will have a lot more fun pairing wine with new-wave sushi creations.
Here are some things I have learned:
For traditional sushi, I love German Riesling. The wine's purity and finesse run parallel to that of sushi. My current favorites include Gunderloch "Jean Baptiste" Kabinett ($20) and Zilliken "Saarburger Rauche" Spatlese ($28). Imagine a red slice of fatty toro; these Rieslings would heighten the fish with their crispness. A great balance of weight and texture complements the toro's richness, but keeps the palate fresh and alert between bites.
Interestingly, I have also found wines from France that pair well with traditional nigiri sushi.
But make sure you select styles that are sleek, elegant, light in weight and finish clean and smooth with no bitterness. Consider Cheverny, Domaine du Salvard, 2000 from Loire, France ($18). Nowhere else in the world can Sauvignon Blanc get this kind of concentration and complexity, yet be effortless elegant and light on the palate.
This herbaceous-ness and lemon-lime edge work well with all of the traditional nigiri sushi, especially with hamachi or salmon.
For more contemporary sushi, much depends on the ingredients and components. For instance, my current house favorite at Sansei is our Mango Crab Salad Hand Roll, fresh blue crab wrapped in a soybean wrapper called mamenori, with Nalo greens, sweet mango and accompanied with a sweet Thai chili vinaigrette and crushed peanuts.
The perfect wine match would be the Weinhaus Hegar Pinot Gris from Baden, Germany ($19). This off-dry, feather-light pinot gris is incredibly pure, nuanced with the right amount of fruit to complement the spiciness and enough texture and acidity to complement the rich crab and mangoes.
This wine makes this sushi appetizer taste even better! I couldn't imagine missing out on such a revelation by having just a glass of beer or sake, as I would have done before.
Another of my favorites is nigiri sushi topped with foie gras. The wine for me has been a well-chilled, fizzy Italian red called Lambrusco ($15). This wine is completely fruit-driven, which adds the perfect dimension to the dish and yet effortlessly counter-balances the foie gras' richness. Unbelievable!
So you see, you can have a lot of fun pairing wines with sushi. I guarantee it.
Ivy Nagayama is corporate manager for Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine
pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
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