Penfolds Dining
Seafood
Cod/Haddock
Haddock and chips from the local chip shop are good with Chardonnay or Semillon. Tasty cod in homemade batter and crispy chips deserve a good-quality Chardonnay with elegant but restrained character. Choose a soft Chardonnay or Semillon with roast cod on a bed of spinach and mash. These are also good choices with a simple grilled haddock or cod fillet.
Crab Cakes
Crab cakes, often spicy and herby and served in a cream sauce, are good with fresh Semillon. Or try a lightly oaked good quality Chardonnay.
Lobster
Serve a good-quality cool-climate Chardonnay or fine Riesling.
Mackerel
Crisp, dry whites are the best answer with the oily mackerel. Try a Chardonnay or Chardonnay Semillon blend. Serve the same wines with Kedgeree.
Monkfish
The meaty monkfish, roasted or grilled, finds a good match in a stylish, lightly oaked Chardonnay.
Moules Mariniere
The combination of white wine, garlic (and sometimes cream) with the mildly flavoured mussels means dry whites with high acidity and gentle fruit are the best option. Try Chardonnay or Semillon Chardonnay blends.
Oysters
Fresh oysters will marry well with a premium quality Riesling.
Plaice/Sole
Serve fresh Chardonnay with grilled plaice. Dover sole grilled with lemon juice and a sprinkling of fresh herbs is flattered by a crisp, Riesling or a fine, lemony and lightly oaked Chardonnay.
Salmon
Enjoy a good quality restrained Chardonnay with a grilled salmon steak. Choose a light Chardonnay with salmon baked in a dill and white wine sauce. See below for Smoked Salmon
Seafood Platter
Crisp dry whites are the best option here. Try Chardonnay or Chardonnay Semillon.
Scallops
Wok-fried scallops with Thai-style flavourings such as ginger, garlic and lemongrass deserve a fresh lively Riesling. The traditional dish of Scallops Mornay prefers a subtly oaked, low-acid, stylish Chardonnay.
Smoked Salmon
Try a quality vintage sparkling wine or crisp, aromatic Riesling with the simplicity of smoked salmon. For the classic brunch dish of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, serve a good Chardonnay.
Sushi & Sashimi
The delicate flavours of unadulterated Sushi and Sashimi are well matched with Riesling. When dipped in sauces, more intensely flavoured wines are required to meet the flavour changes - use the flavour profile of the accompanying sauce to determine the appropriate wine in this case.
Trout
Grilled or poached trout is delicious with dry unoaked whites, particularly Semillon Chardonnay blends. Grill the trout - stuffed with fresh herbs and garlic - on the barbecue. The lovely citrus characters of Riesling will also do the trick.
Tuna
Like salmon, tuna is a fish that matches well with red wine. Choose softly fruity Merlot or a ripe Semillon Chardonnay blend with a simply grilled tuna steak. Tuna marinated in garlic, herbs and fresh chilli and then flashed on the char-grill is good with a fresh, flavoursome Chardonnay or Semillon Chardonnay or even a lightly spicy, but soft Shiraz.