MACKEREL is oily, strongly flavoured, quite meaty and a bit salty. These are all considerations when choosing your wine to go alongside. You also have to think about the preparation of the fish before you finalise your bottle choice.
Happily there are lots of mackerel-friendly wines out there, and you could pick your favourite from Muscadet, Pinot Grigio, Provence rosé, Picpoul de Pinet, Viognier or a nice Cremant (a sparkling wine from France).
All of these wines have good acidity, which you definitely need to cut through the oiliness of the fish. If the mackerel has been smoked, you’re better off with an Albarino from Rias Baixas in Spain, or you could even choose a lightly oaked Chardonnay from Australia.
If you only drink red, then you’d need a low tannin red such as a Beaujolais or a Dolcetto from Piedmont in Italy. Tannin reacts with the iron in fish, leaving a metallic taste in the mouth, which you don’t want.
Here are a few to consider this weekend ...
Picpoul de Pinet Gérard Bertrand 2014 (Inverarity One to One, £9.99). You will find cheaper Picpouls on the market, but this is the best one I’ve tasted and the fuller flavour makes it an ideal match with mackerel.
Cave de Lugny Sparkling Burgundy NV (Waitrose, normally £13.99 currently £10.49). This is lovely, and exceptional value for money especially at the reduced price. It’s a real treat with smoked fish and has the character to match smoked mackerel.
Mas Amor Rosado Massard 2014 (Inverarity One to One, £17.49 for a magnum). Franck Massard is a Frenchman working in Spain and making amazing wines. The Mas Amor is from the Garnacha grape and the magnum is well worth a purchase as we desperately cling on to the last of the summer sun of 2015.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow www.inverarity121.com
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