Olly Smith’s 6 hot bottles
The Mail on Sunday wine expert’s supermarket picks work wonderfully with our salmon recipes – cheers!
Thai Curry Salmon Bake and Gravadlax roast
Morrisons Pinot Gris 2018 (13%), £8.50. Fruity and fulsome, this scrumptious, peachy fresh white is a total steal and pairs with both the fragrant curry and mustard in the gravadlax. Made by a top producer in Alsace, its rich finesse is spot-on with Thai spices. This exemplary own-label wine punches high above its price point.
Harissa Salmon and Asparagus Salad
Marquesa de la Cruz Garnacha Rosé 2019 (13.5%), £7.99, Waitrose. Against such bold flavours this rosé is a stunner. Made by a Master of Wine in Northeastern Spain, it’s radiant and bulging with properly balanced, sumptuous flavours.
Teriyaki Salmon with Edamame Bean Salsa
Tio Pepe Fino Sherry (15%), £10, Tesco. Serve this bright, fresh fino ice cold and revel in its refreshing, discreetly nutty and slightly salty splendour. It’s packed with big savoury umami character, similar to teriyaki, and the two harmonise amazingly as one.
Almost Arnold Bennett Omelette
Tempus Two Quartz Series Chardonnay 2018 (13%), £9, Sainsbury’s. This excellent Aussie is bang-on with the luxuriant texture of this classy recipe. Forget over-oaked and blow-your-head-off levels of booze, this is as pure and bright as a peach carved from a crystal.
Smoked Salmon and Beetroot Carpaccio
Contevedo Organic Cava (11.5%), £6.99, Aldi. Outrageous value. Fizz works a charm, bubbly zing contrasting with svelte salmon. Cava is great with beetroot, as both have an earthy dimension – served chilled with this, you’ll wish you’d bought a second bottle.
Salmon and Horseradish Pate
Cune White Rioja 2018 (13%), £9.50, Co-Op. The producer of this Rioja is iconic and reliable and here delivers a lightly oaked white wine that’s pristine, texturally mellow and delightful. Plenty of richness to soak up the powerful horseradish as well as the classy refreshment to thrill alongside the star attraction of salmon.
*All prices correct at time of going to press