Remember, it’s not so much what you start with that matters to the wine; it’s how you end it. Salmon by itself can handle nearly any color of wine. Light red, white, pink, all will do. The style of wine is more important. Here, the salmon is slathered with what, from a wine’s point of view, is a lot of sweetness and acidity (from especially the pineapple and lime juice). Chili heat also warns against wines high in alcohol. You choose the color. The fish wants a wine that’s not bone-dry and that’s sparked with zesty, crisp acidity.
— Bill St. John, Special to Tribune Newspapers
THE FOOD: Sock-it-to-me salmon and salsa
Brush 2 sockeye salmon fillets with 1 teaspoon olive oil; season with store-bought Jamaican jerk rub, if you like, plus salt to taste, if needed. Cook salmon on a grill or under a broiler, turning once, until just cooked, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, for the salsa, combine 1 can (8 ounces) diced pineapple, drained; 1 green onion, minced; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno; and salt to taste; serve with the salmon. Makes: 2 servings
THE WINES
2011 Dr. H. Thanisch Muller-Burggraef Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany: Long, complicated name; long, clear-cut aromas and flavors of citrus and stone fruit; minerals in the end. $22-$25
2013 Marques de Caceres Rosado, Rioja, Spain: All tempranillo, leaning into Bing cherry and summer strawberry tastes, with a juicy texture and snappy finish. $10
2011 Cavicchioli e Figli Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Col Sassoso, Emilia-Romagna, Italy: A light red, slightly fizzy, with big, open flavors of dark cherry and blood orange; not mom’s Lambrusco. $20