Rosé wines and fish

With fish, match the rosé to the strength of the dish rather than to the species. A vin gris or a very pale rosé lets delicate flesh cooked simply speak for itself; a deeper rosé, in color or in structure, holds its own against saffron, garlic or slow-roasted tomatoes.

Subtle Flavors: Where the Palest Rosés Shine

Steamed cod, sea bass carpaccio with olive oil or whiting fillets with herbs have subtle flavors. A very pale, dry, light rosé goes with them without covering them. Pale Provence rosés and the vins gris of the Camargue coast work well here.

The Sable de Camargue appellation is reserved for “gris” and “gris de gris” wines. These wines are credited with a pale salmon color and briny notes linked to the sea's influence.

“Gris de gris,” made from Grenache Gris alone, is paler still, with finer aromas: save it for the simplest preparations.

Tielle, Rillettes and Fried Fish: Rosé for Small Plates

Along the Mediterranean coast, fish is also shared as small plates: marinated anchovies, tielle from Sète (an octopus and tomato pie), or mackerel rillettes. Salt, vinegar and olive oil call for a crisp rosé with clear acidity.

A plate of small fried fish, such as smelt, calls for the same style. A well-chilled rosé from Provence or the Languedoc cleans the palate after the vinegar, the oil or the frying. For the spicier tielle, choose a slightly deeper rosé that stands up to the tomato sauce and its hint of chili.

Saffron, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Black Olives: Time for Tavel and Bandol

When the sauce gets bolder, the rosé needs more body. In Tavel, an appellation reserved for rosé, Grenache must be part of the blend, and the rosé made there is structured and dark.

Bandol rosé, with Mourvèdre in the blend, keeps a pale eglantine-pink color; it is more structured than other Provence rosés. Both styles go with sea bream and slow-roasted tomatoes or swordfish with black olives.

For hake in saffron sauce, favor a fruity, deeper-colored rosé: saffron colors and perfumes the sauce without making it hot, and a vin gris would seem faint next to it.

Rosé and Fish: Practical Questions

What is vin gris, and why does it suit fish?

Vin gris is a very pale rosé made by pressing the grapes right away, without letting the juice sit on the skins. In Sable de Camargue, these wines are supple, with no tannin. Their lightness respects delicate fish and avoids the metallic taste that some red wines sometimes take on with fish.

What rosé goes with herb-crusted fish?

With herb-crusted fish, serve a pale, crisp rosé, from Provence for example. Its subtle fruit lets the parsley, basil or tarragon in the crust come through. If the breadcrumbs include Parmesan or tapenade, a slightly deeper-colored rosé stands up better to those flavors.

What rosé goes with cod and chorizo?

With cod and chorizo, choose a deeper-colored rosé with pronounced fruit, such as a Grenache rosé from southern France. The smoked paprika and the fat of the chorizo take over from the white fish, and a very pale rosé would seem faint next to them.

Where can you buy rosé for fish direct from the winemaker?

You can buy rosé for fish direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. The wine comes to you directly from the producer who made it.

See also: White wines and fish - Red wines and fish - Sparkling and fish