The Best Type Of Wine To Pair With Your Blackened Fish Dishes

While most seafood dishes maintain a mild front, blackened fish is all about bold flavors. It's a dynamic dish, made up of delicate fish and savory spices that linger in your mouth. The bold flavors of blackened fish comes from a delicious mix of paprika and cayenne pepper, bolstered by onion and garlic powder, cumin, and oregano or thyme. To get that distinctive dark color, the fish is basted in fat, covered in the spice mix, then cooked on high heat. 

The striking balance between the fish and seasoning is the best part of blackened fish, and it needs a wine that caters to both. We spoke to an expert who has the perfect pick for your blackened fish. When choosing the wine, Vajra Stratigos, Director of Operations at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, focuses less on the fish and more so on how it's prepared. "When I think about this technique, and the flavors — with spicy, forward cayenne, charred and deeply red and herbaceous — I think of a chilled fruit-forward red that's shy on structure," he says.

A number of wines could fit that description, but there's a clear winner for Stratigos. "For this, I would likely slightly chill a bottle of Dorli Muhr's, Spitzerberg Blaufränkisch Prellenkirchen," he recommends. The Austrian-made vino is certainly an underrated wine variety you need to try. It features prominent black and red fruit notes and has a spicy finish. Despite its depth, it's on the lighter side of medium-bodied wines, perfect for blackened fish.

Aside from matching the spices of the dish with the notes of Blaufränkisch, it's important that the fish itself also pairs well with the wine. Since it leans a little sweet and quite berry-forward, it's best to go with fish that aren't overtly sweet. Avoid varieties like red snapper and salmon and stick with white fish like cod or halibut.

Blaufränkisch grapes, as well as the berries and black cherries present, lean acidic, so pairing it with a blackened cod and citrus salad isn't out of the question. The dish isn't astringent at all; it relies on blood and navel oranges for a brightness that's both sweet and mellow. The richer taste of the blood oranges complements the red berries found within Blaufränkisch wine. Meanwhile, the paprika and cayenne, as well as the onion and garlic powder found on mild, buttery cod brings a grounding presence to the acidic components of the meal.

The spicy finish of Blaufränkisch makes it such a delicious wine, and you can prolong that flavor with blackened halibut with mango-avocado relish. In the bright relish lies jalapeño, drawing out the earthy spices found in Blaufränkisch wine. Though halibut is slightly buttery, the fish is still wholly mild, making room for the bold Blaufränkisch and summery relish to shine.