295702 Mon Jan 12 16:50:13 -0800 2004 10 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1626042 Thanks to Pat and Barbara for their help - I'm ready for action. But what's the best wine (or other beverage) to accompany this sumptuous cold weather soup? Mon Jan 12 16:50:13 -0800 2004 0 Dan Sonenberg 1 1626056 For what it's worth, oeno-guru Hugh Johnson likes big bodies whites: Pinot Gris, buttery style chard., Albarinio, Australian Semillon, or, alternatively, fino Sherry. Mon Jan 12 17:41:26 -0800 2004 1626042 0 mrbarolo 2 1626077 I also like Pinot Gris or dry Sherry, but the sleeper here is Riesling. Try something with a little sweetness like a German Spatlese from the Mosel. The sweetness plays very well off the smokey bacon and the cream. Mon Jan 12 19:24:43 -0800 2004 1626056 0 miggymig 3 1626085 Sherry !!! For heaven's sake, SHERRY. You folks CAN'T be FROM New England. I spent 25 years of my life there and have never seen anyone drinking sherry with clam chowder. Yeah, that's the fisherman's drink of choice with his chowder ... sherry. It's radical ideas like this that gave us Manhattan clam chowder. Is NOTHING sacred. You aren't Ipswich boys, are you? Any of the whites mentioned are fine. Mon Jan 12 19:44:46 -0800 2004 1626077 0 Stanley Stephan 3 1626090 I would have gone with the California-style Chard as well. I assume Miggy you are suggesting the sweeter Washington-style Pinot Gris, versus Alsace, for instance. This does not sound good to me though I will experiment. But the Sherry idea, if a drier one, sounds quite interesting. In general, I have found Sherry to work quite well with a wide range of cream soups. But there is such a constellation of sherries that you need to do a little research and be careful which you choose. As to dismissing these ideas because it is not done that way traditionally in New England, so what? the first person who tried Sauternes with Foie Gras undoubtedly came in for a lot of abuse. And did you know you can even have red wine with fish these days? Just poking fun, no harm or insult meant. d Mon Jan 12 19:56:26 -0800 2004 1626077 0 dickson d 4 1626104 I ended up going with Sherry - it was very good (Dry Sack, medium dry...the only decent bottle the corner store had!) Next time I might try a Riesling. Mon Jan 12 21:29:48 -0800 2004 1626090 0 Dan Sonenberg 4 1626293 Actually the dryness/sweetness of Riesling or Pinot Gris would be personal choice. I like some fruitiness to be in there but any of the drier Alsatian or Austrian styles would be fine as well. As for fish there are plenty of reds to try.. Beaujolais, Cab Franc from the Loire, lighter Chiantis, lighter Pinot Noir too. The best results are for a fish with some heft like salmon, tuna, etc. Wed Jan 14 00:00:42 -0800 2004 1626090 0 miggymig 5 1626317 While the "red with fish" concept has become the new orthodoxy, I have yet to actually find a match that really worked for me. I suppose there are some grilled salmon preparations with bacon or savory treatments that would take Pinot Noir or beaujolais nicely, I just haven't met up with it yet. When I've had fish with red wine-based sauces, I haven't really loved it. Wed Jan 14 13:14:00 -0800 2004 1626293 0 mrbarolo 1 1626146 Light to medium beer. Tue Jan 13 10:35:26 -0800 2004 1626042 0 Karl S. 1 1626165 Don't mess around with wine and clam chowder. I would have a hard time matching a white with something as dairy/creamy and fishy/salty as clam chowder. Perhaps some sommelier/connosieur would have better suggestions if you really have your heart set on a wine. However, many many beers would cuddle up to clam chowder and make both the soup and itself sing! I'd try an IPA, or possibly a not-too-sweet dark beer. Nothing super heavy like a stout, and no rice beers, but I'll bet almost every other kind of beer would do well! Tue Jan 13 12:20:15 -0800 2004 1626042 0 Mrs. Smith 2 1626167 I agree. Hefe-weisse style beer goes real nice. No lemons in hefe-weisse, please (leave that for the clear wheat beers) Tue Jan 13 12:25:15 -0800 2004 1626165 0 Karl S.