Valdivieso of Chilli Sauvignon Blanc 2016 was chosen to accompany a Monday night dinner of homemade fish and chips. A real treat for a school night. I rarely buy Sauvignon Blanc as it often has very high acidity and strong flavours which I find overpowering but fish and chips needs a wine which can cope with fried food.
The colour of Valdivieso of Chilli Sauvignon Blanc was clear and shiny with a golden green tinge. It reminded me of Golden Delicious apples. The nose was very powerful, fresh and citrusy, particularly grapefruit. On the palate, it had a big hit of citrus, lemon and lime and then kiwi.
A few months ago, I left a kiwi fruit to ripen and then smelt and tasted the skin, flesh and core- all in the name of wine research. The taste of this Sauvignon Blanc was the white core. There was a slight bitterness which, I knew would subside with food. Although delicious, it needed food. This was a fresh, very young wine with high acidity and I knew that it was an excellent choice of wine to pair with fish and chips.
The chips were made with Maris Piper potatoes and deep fried in a traditional chip pan rather than an electric fryer with an inch of oil. The fish was haddock coated in batter made with very cold beer, water, flour, salt and pepper which was then twice fried for extra crispness. The peas were frozen garden peas and served as a healthy addition to the meal!
The wine came into its own with the food. It cut through the oil and complimented the fried fish beautifully. The freshly squeezed lemon on the fish was picked up in the wine and for a moment heightened the citrus notes in it. It also stood up to the starch in the potatoes and the food and wine combination was a Monday night joy.
This wine was purchased from Sainsbury’s and it cost £8.
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Read my wine and food column in the Bournemouth Echo, first Saturday of every month.
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