Pinot Noir and salmon. What could be better?

I went down to Race St. Fish Market this morning looking for something but not knowing what, and they had, much to my surprise, fresh Alaskan king salmon. It was beautiful. The price was a heart-stopping $17.95/lb. But It Was Beautiful. Love At First Sight. Come With Me, My Darling.
The Kitchen section had a recipe for Smashed Potatoes. Looked like a good fit.
Browsing my spreadsheet I found I had half a dozen of Sunce Zora's Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2004 lurking. One of them was listed as being in an impossible slot ('standard" size, not "burgundy" size). So I had to check. Of course, it was in the big slot just above. Large, Plump, Rosy. Beautiful. Need I say Love At First Sight?

Smashed the potatoes. Made some lemon thyme butter with fresh, flowering thyme. (My tarragon weed is just sitting there being eaten by tarragon-eating weevils or something.) Steamed some broccoli. Broiled the salmon and buttered it.
Best dinner I've made since last night.

Oh yeah, the wine. Just delicious. Bracing acidity on entry, a long and fruitful mid-palate, and still substantial warm, sweet tannins appearing at the finish. I have 5 more and don't need to hurry with them. Not too ripe and nowhere near as alcoholic as the number would lead you to believe.
Russian River Valley, $40.00 at the winery in 10/05, 14.5% alcohol, 480 cases produced.
They didn't put a capsule on this particular bottling. I have no idea why - maybe they ran out or something.

John

mmmm.... sounds good!

For me Pinot Noir also goes very very well with another fish. .... Tuna, .... Sushi or Sashimi style.

John, you totally inspired me.

Tonight I had Copper River salmon, pea and lemon risotto, and a delicious 2006 Broadley pinot noir.

Uffda it was good.

PN is also good with halibut sauteed with tomato and garlic and rosemary. I don't have a recipe, I just do it.

John

Pinot Noir and salmon. What could be better?

Red Burgundy and salmon

Or any fish for that matter. Or any dish for that matter

"Red Burgundy and salmon "
Er. Isn't Red Burgundy pinot noir?

"Or any fish for that matter. Or any dish for that matter "
Some like it fish - to hack the title of an old musical.

John

Er. Isn't Red Burgundy pinot noir?

Surely you jest!

MY NAME ISN'T SHIRLEY!!

I've had French wine labeled Pinot Noir that was flat dreadful, even though the producer's label address was in Beaune.
And Suncé makes good wine. Not the same as good Burgundy, because (I imagine) the terroir is, in fact, different. To say nothing of the climate.

Once upon a time, I used to search out good $5 wine. Times change, but I still consider more than $20 to be expensive. Sometimes I fall - Suncé is an example; it's around $40 at the tasting room.

BTW, I finished that bottle this evening, with a dish of veal shanks "Hongroise", modified from a Pierre Franey recipe. Great fit - and the wine had mellowed a bit and had NOT turned into pudding.

John

Love Pinot Noir with salmon.
I did try a light red wine (Cotes du Rhone) with a fish with diced tomatoes in the sauce thinking that the tomatoes might take a red wine but that didn't work out.

I've found those Mediterranean fish dishes with tomatoes and often capers or olives to be a bit difficult to match with wine. I've had the best luck with a light, rather acidic wine, whether red, white or rose. Of course you can always fall back on a Kabinett.

John

Pinot with grilled spicy Italian sausages..

Uffda it was good.

Uffda? - ya sure you betcha, now that's saying something! Good to see someone else knows the language, Patti.

Pinot Noir, Salmon and Kate Beckinsale, but you are in the top five.

I discovered the combination in Seattle (not with Kate, though) a long time ago. What you said was kind of my thought at the time.

Uffda it was good.

Patti,

Did you ever live in Little Pepsi? That is the only place I have ever heard "uffda".

Yah, dare hay!

I've had French wine labeled Pinot Noir that was flat dreadful, even though the producer's label address was in Beaune.

I think I have had that wine. It may have been called something like Vero but I am not certain.

I grew up in Minnysoda, up nord ya know. Lot'sa funny talk up dere.

It may have been called something like Vero...

From Drouhin?

You go to BevMo and look along the bottom shelves of the French section, and there is a lot of wine labeled "Pinot Noir" or "Chardonnay" and even some "Cabernet Sauvignon".
As I'm a bottom-feeder, I keep trying it. However, the few times I hit a good one, I never see that brand again. I think "they" do it on purpose.

John