Swimming in Salmon and Wine Pairings

For the last few weeks I have been putting together wine pairing suggestions for the Rogue River Outfitters weekly recipes. Who knew so many Southern Oregon wines would pair so perfectly with salmon?! I thought I would start running out of easy suggestions, but I haven't even gotten to the Pinot Gris' or Rosés!

Smoked Salmon
Smoked Salmon is a very tough food to match with wine because of its oiliness and smoke. To go with the fat content, the wine must have good acidity (forego those Gewurztraminers). Most wine flavors, being either fruit, spicy, or floral, tend to clash with the smokiness of the salmon. Grüner Veltiner and Sauvignon Blanc go beautifully with smoked salmon with their nice acidity, however, there are limited Grüner Veltiners and Sauvignon Blanc producers in Oregon. Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards makes a Grüner Veltiner, but they are sold out of their 2007 and 2008 vintages (look out for the 2009 soon). Spangler Vineyards produces a Sauvignon Blanc and their 2008 is currently on special for $17.

Quick and Easy Salmon
The fruitiness and acidity of a clean New World Pinot Noir seem almost produced with grilled salmon in mind. The 2007 Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards Pishon Bloc Pinot Noir is a wonderfully balanced wine with bright red fruits and a lingering finish- a perfect compliment to this salmon dish. $31

Baked Salmon Pesto
The Abacela 2009 Albariño would be a great pairing for this dish. Albariño embraces many fresh seafood dishes. Since the recipe contains basil and garlic, selecting a wine that is not too ripe or oaky is important. Albariño has lively acidity, providing a sense of freshness with creamy textures and minerality. $18

Look for the newest salmon recipe this weekend that I pair with Viognier. I was told if there was one salmon recipe to try to commemorate salmon season coming to a close it would be this one. And who can resist the medium-bodied Folin Cellars 2007 Estate Viognier? Its is crisp and refreshing with showings of melon, citrus, honeysuckle and orange blossom on the nose. The palate is true to varietal characteristics, exploding with exotic papaya, mango, honeydew, and cream. $25

To try a delicious salmon dish prepared by the Rogue River Outfitters and paired with Southern Oregon wines, sign up for our Rogue River Rafting Wine Tour.
Enjoy!