by Ted Onulak

Created on: July 22, 2009

Is there anything nicer than having fresh seafood under the umbrella of a brilliant blue sky? Perhaps the only thing missing is a chilled bottle of wine.

At their best, the flavors of the sea are sweet and delicate. but they can be prepared in so many appetizing ways, that there is more to pairing seafood with wine, than popping a bottle of Chardonnay.

There are two factors to be considered, the fat content of the fish or seafood and the preparation.

Any mild white fish, like flounder, tilapia or ruffy, grilled simply with a dash of lemon and butter begs for the crisp acidity of Sauvignon Blanc. All wine regions produce fine examples, but the crispest and cleanest can be found in New Zealand and the higher altitudes of California. This wine will even stand up to capers, or a tomato fresco sauce. Make sure your wine is chilled to about 50 degrees F and keep it in a bucket of ice and water. In fact, this is a basic for the serving of any white wine. If you don't have an ice bucket handy, take the wine right out of the refrigerator and it will come to temperature in about 10 minutes.

Any preparation of fish that uses butter and cream will be enhanced by a richer Chardonnay. But not all Chardonnay is created equal. Look for French oaked varieties of 2 to 3 years of age. These should taste smoother and richer on the palate and swirl deliciously in the mouth with the rich sauce. Unoaked Chardonnay or the cooler climate white Burgundy will be more minerally and clean, this may also be nice and give a cleansing effect, the choice is really up to you.

Chardonnay is also a good bet with richer fish like sea bass and cod. But if you would like to venture into the culinary world of Portugal, the tart national white wine of Portugal, Vinho Verde, is drunk with bacalao. This baked casserole of reconstituted dried salt cod, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, olives, saffron and fine extra virgin olive oil is so rich that Chardonnay may just muddle it up. The tart, slightly fizzy Vinho Verde will clean your palate and compliment the acidity of the tomatoes and olives. Admittedly an acquired taste, a well-made baccalao can be delicious.

If you are splurging on fresh lobster, why not go all in with a classic white Burgundy? Of all the Chardonnay wines, Burgundy ages best and develops a wonderful array of complex flavors. Of course, epic Burgundy can be prohibitively expensive, but nice examples of Chasson, Cote du Bone and Corton can be found

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