Choosing Red Wine For Seafood

Seafood is most often associated with white wine, but in the winter months many diners are hesitant to give up their comforting reds. Luckily, Jason Ferris of The Sea Fire Grill is confident that plenty of red wines pair well with seafood dishes.

But he wants us to go beyond the basics: "One of the big misconceptions... is there are [no] other options besides pinot noir." Ferris suggests that while pinot noir is a popular option, there are many other wines to try. One of his choices is wines made from the grenache grape. "These wines have a lot of the same attributes we associate with pinot noir — great fruit structure, nice supple textures, low tanins, mild acidity, and they are very pleasant to drink by themselves."

He also suggests wines from vineyards that have salinity in the soil due to the recession of ice ages (such as in Tuscany) or wines that are near the ocean. He believes that both the soil and the winemakers' own diets will influence the wines. "I also look at wines from regions that have dominant fish cultures," such as wines from Sardinia.

For more, watch the video above or head over to The Sea Fire Grill for Ferris' personal recommendations!