Summer from the grill – when Mediterranean fish is at its best
Wine with food in summer starts with a barbecue and fresh fish, and sea bream is the first choice. What sets it apart from other summer fish is its firm, aromatic skin, which turns a crispy golden brown on the grill and protects the juicy meat underneath. The right wine pairing must carry the roasted aromas of the grilled skin, the herb butter with its fresh melt and the cool, aniseed-like fennel salad at the same time – a task that requires a wine of extraordinary minerality and proximity to the sea. The fennel salad is not an accessory, but a character in its own right: its aniseed freshness, crunchy texture and fine olive oil and lemon dressing give the dish a lightness that is often lacking in grilled fish. Together, sea bream, herb butter and fennel make a summer dish that works just as well on Lake Garda as it does on a Greek terrace.
Ideal wine pairing: Assyrtiko DO Santorini (Aegean, Greece)
From the volcanic ash soils of the island of Santorini, where the Assyrtiko grape defies the wind in old basket vines and takes root deep in porous pumice, comes a white wine of exceptional minerality, saltiness and freshness. The combination of volcanic origin, oceanic climate and extreme sun exposure produces a wine that is simultaneously bone dry and lusciously fruity – citrus zest, peach, apricot, white pepper and a pronounced saltiness that is directly reminiscent of the Aegean. This saltiness is the key to the grilled sea bream: both speak the same Mediterranean sea language, both have a natural salt freshness that is greater in combination than individually. The taut, almost cutting acidity of the Assyrtiko DO Santorini meets the herb butter in an elegant way and cleanses the palate after every bite. The mineral depth corresponds with the roasted aromas of the grilled skin. The fennel salad finds a direct, fresh dialog partner in its citrus notes. A wine that shows that Greece is one of the most exciting white wine countries in Europe.
Further wine recommendations for this dish
Vermentino di Gallura DOCG (Sardinia, Italy)
From the granite slopes of northern Sardinia, where the Mediterranean wind and slate soils give Vermentino its unmistakable Mediterranean character, comes a white wine with almond, citrus blossom, fennel, white peach and a characteristic bitter almond finish. This fennel note in the wine meets the fennel salad in a direct, aromatically harmonious way – a combination that is rarely found. Its salty freshness and Mediterranean warmth carry the grilled gilthead in a sunny, uncomplicated way. For all those who would rather sit on a Sardinian terrace than on Santorini when eating summer fish.
Albariño DO Rías Baixas (Galicia, Spain)
The Atlantic salty freshness and peach-grapefruit aroma of Albariño are a natural choice for grilled fish of all kinds – in Galicia, it has been the undisputed accompaniment to seafood and grilled fish dishes for centuries. Its lively acidity cuts through the herb butter and creates balance, while its salty finish communicates with the iodine-marine depth of the sea bream. The citrus notes play with the fennel salad in a fresh, direct way. It is more expressive than the Assyrtiko, with more tropical fruit depth and less volcanic minerality. For anyone who prefers Atlantic warmth to Aegean minerality in a glass at a summer barbecue.
Mosel Riesling Spätlese dry QmP (Mosel, Germany)
The slate minerality and ripe peach-apricot aromas of the Mosel Riesling Spätlese trocken QmP meet the herb butter on a fine, aromatically harmonious level. It is lighter and cooler than the Assyrtiko, but has a similar minerality and salty freshness. Its precise acidity enlivens the fennel salad, its length on the finish carries the fish beyond the last bite. The most delicate and coolest companion of this round – for all those who prefer German Riesling to Greek Assyrtiko at summer barbecues and insist on minerality and precision.
Cassis AOC (Provence, France)
From the small, steep appellation area around the coastal town of Cassis to the east of Marseille, where limestone, Mediterranean wind and oyster shell soils give the Marsanne-Clairette-Ugni-Blanc blend a unique maritime depth, comes a white wine of rarely encountered saline freshness and fish affinity. The fish restaurants of Cassis have been serving it with bouillabaisse for generations, and it is no less harmonious with grilled sea bream. Its herbal minerality goes well with herb butter, its salty freshness with sea bream and its Provençal warmth with fennel salad. A wine for lovers of the unusual who prefer Provence to the rest of the world when it comes to summer fish.
You can find more summer recipes with matching wines on the summer and wine overview page.
The recipe:
Grilled sea bream with herb butter and fennel salad
Cooking utensils
- 1 Grill (charcoal or gas) or grill pan
- 1 Small saucepan (for the herb butter)
- 1 Mandolin or sharp knife (for the fennel)
- Aluminum foil (optional)
- 1 Fish knife and fish fork
- 1 Brush (for oiling)
Ingredients
- 2 Whole sea bream approx. 400 g each, ready to cook, scaled
- 2 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt black pepper
- 2 Sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary for the abdominal cavity
- 1 Garlic clove halved
FOR THE HERB BUTTER:
- 80 g soft butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- Zest of half a lemon
- 1 Garlic clove very finely grated
- Salt black pepper
FOR THE FENNEL SALAD:
- 1 large fennel bulb
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
- Salt black pepper
- Fresh fennel greens as garnish
Preparation
PREPARATION:
- Herb butter: Mix all the ingredients together, shape into a roll, wrap in cling film and chill.
- Slice the fennel very thinly with a mandolin or sharp knife and place in ice water.
- Mix the dressing for the fennel salad.
- Rinse the sea bream inside and out and pat dry.
- Stuff the belly cavity with thyme, rosemary and garlic.
- Brush the outside with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
COOKING STEPS:
- Preheat the barbecue to a high heat, oil the grill rack well.
- Place the sea bream directly on the grill.
- Grill for 7-8 minutes on each side – do not move until the fish comes off by itself.
- Remove the fennel from the ice water and pat dry.
- Mix with dressing, garnish with fennel greens, set aside.
DIRECTIONS:
- Arrange the sea bream on preheated oval plates.
- Place a slice of herb butter directly on the hot fish – it will melt by itself.
- Serve the fennel salad alongside.
- Garnish with a lemon wedge and fresh herbs.
SUPPLEMENTS:
- New potatoes in olive oil and sea salt
- Toasted white bread with garlic
- Lemon wedge to serve
