Name of sardines: Brīvais Vilnis Brisling Sardines in olive oil
Style of wine: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie, Loire valley
Suggested producer and wine: Famille Lieubeau Muscadet Sevre & Maine Confluent
These sardines have a very light smokiness and a soft, creamy and lightly salty note. Muscadet with its saline and zesty acidity will balance the richness and refresh the palate and in the same time the wine has a light structure which will not overwhelm the dish.
Name of sardines: Riga Gold smoked sardines in oil
Style of wine: Crémant de Jura
Suggested producer and wine: Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot Crémant du Jura "BBF"
These are rich and oily sardines with the typical smoky character. The bright freshness and creamy bubbles will cut through the richness and the biscuity and smoky character of the Crémant will complement the smokiness of these sardines
Name of sardines: Diplomats Gourmet Smoked Sprats in olive oil and rosemary
Style of wine: Provence Rosé
Suggested producer and wine: Château Romanin Grand Vin Rosé, Les Beaux-des-Provence
These sardines have a light smokiness and creaminess with pleasant saltiness combined with the Provencal herbaceous character of rosemary. The slightly richer structure of Provence Rose wines will support the creaminess and smokiness of the sardines, and the aromatic herbal character of wine will match the rosemary in the dish.
Name of sardines: Brīvais Vilnis Riga Sardines in olive oil
Style of wine: Dry Fino or Manzanilla Sherry
Suggested producer and wine: Lustau Fino Jarana Bodegas de Hijos de Rainera Pérez Marín Manzanilla La Guita
These sardines have a lightly salty and vinegary flavour without the more traditional smokiness. The fresh acidity and saline character of Fino or Manzanilla is just perfect to complement these flavours.
Name of sardines: Diplomats Gourmet Smoked Sprats in Pistachio oil
Style of wine: Cava Reserva or Gran Reserva
Suggested producer and wine: Celler Carles Andreu CAVA Reserva Brut
These sardines have a smokiness and nuttiness from the pistachio oil adding pleasant richness. The bright freshness and fine bubbles will cut through the richness of these sardines and the nutty character of the Cava from the ageing will complement the pistachio oil.
Name of sardines: Banga Lightly smoked Sardines in oil (wild caught)
Style of wine: Albariño from Rías Baixas, Galicia
Suggested producer and wine: Pazo Señorans Albariño Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain
These are rich yet very round sardines with pleasant saltiness and light smokiness. The brisk and lively acidity of Albariño will be softened by the saltiness of the sardines and the extended lees ageing adding richness to the Albariño will support the light smokiness of the sardines.
Name of sardines: Riga Gold Délicatesse Smoked Brisling Sardines in olive oil
Style of wine: dry Riesling from the Rheingau region in Germany
Suggested producer and wine: Eva Fricke Rheingau Riesling QbA trocken
These sardines have a fleshy texture with highlighted salinity and creamy nuttiness. The slightly richer character and structure of the Rheingau dry Riesling will support the fleshy texture of the sardine and the typical refreshing acidity of Riesling will help balancing the salinity and richness.
Name of sardines: Diplomats Gourmet Smoked Sprats in grape seed oil
Style of wine: Grauer Burgunder (Pinot Grigio) from Germany
Suggested producer and wine: Wittmann Grauer Burgunder, Rheinhessen
These sardines have a firmer texture and mild saltiness, and the grape seed oil adds a fine bitter nuttiness to it. The typical almondy bitterness of Grauer Burgunder will perfectly support the nutty grape seed oil flavour in the sardines and the wine has enough structure, richness and acidity to cope with the firmer texture and light smokiness of the sardines.
Name of sardines: Brīvais Vilnis Brisling Sardines in olive oil with chilli pepper
Style of wine: Riesling Kabinett (off dry to semi-sweet) from the Mosel Valley
Suggested producer and wine: Weingut Clüsserath Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Kabinett
These are rich and oily sardines with the pleasant spiciness of the chilli pepper adding warmth. The fruity off dry character of the Kabinett Riesling with its pleasant sweetness will balance the spiciness and warmth of the chilli pepper and the bright acidity of the Riesling will cut the through the richness of the sardines.
