Sushi dinner - What to order?

[MaggieMuffin]

What is your favorite wine to go with sushi?

[dantheculinaryman]

I had a nice grillo from Sicily that is a good match for sushi.

[dijon]

I know this is the wine list but beer has been an excellent foil for me, Heinekin is an easy match and the Japanese beers, not the dry ones, are a good match.

Doug

[HungryMojo]

I suspect this might be a marketing gimmick, but "Oroya Vino de la Tierra de Castilla" is a Spanish white that's "made specifically to pair with sushi." It's made by Yoko Sato, a Japanese winemaker with Freixenet (big Spanish wine company). This wine's supposed characteristics seem similar to what other replies have recommended: off-dry, aromatic, gentle acidity (pairs with richness of raw fish), light/fresh (pairs with wasabi).

I first read about this wine in this San Francisco Chronicle article: "10 bottles for tonight's takout (Bargain Wines)" - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article...

A Google search of "Oroya sushi wine" will result in many newspaper articles, so it looks like Freixenet has done a good job promoting and distributing this wine.

[Melanie Wong]

Gruner Veltliner goes amazingly well with soy sauce and wasabi. Actually the first time I ever tasted GV, the visiting winemakers had paired it with seared ahi tuna and a soy/wasabi dipping sauce.

[DaveSit]

Hey Melanie, believe it or not, I had just that combination (Gruner Veltliner and sashimi) last week.

[Melanie Wong]

Hey Dave, which Gruner?

[MaggieMuffin]

Hmm. GV's are my new favorite white. I will try that next time.

[OliveBelle]

RIESLING! Off-dry from Germany or Alsace for the spicy dishes, and bone-dry Austrian style for everything else.

Also, I just tried this white "sushi wine" at a place which was a blend of Chardonnay, Welschriesling and Muscat-Ottonel. It was called Shiro, and it was perfect! But I havn't seen it around much.

[TheDexter]

Sauvignon Blancs, Gewurztraminers, Champagnes, Vouvrays, Muscadets, anything that can stand. Stay away from syrahs, zins, or if you must do a red, consider pinot.

[kenito799]

Jerez fino or in particular manzanilla (with its saline edge) is great with sushi. You have to be somewhere that has fresh stock, which will mean BYO from a high-turnover sherry store, not necessarily that easy to find in the US.
Muscadet is another idea, since it classically pairs so well with oysters.

[MaggieMuffin]

I ate out last night and went with a Gewurztraminer. Thanks for the rec, it went perfectly with the varied sushi/sashi assortments we ate with dinner.

[SteveTimko]

Maggie:
I'm curious if this was a dry gewurtraminer or something sweeter. I've done Champagne with sushi once and found the yeasty flavor was a good match. I'd like to try something else.

[MaggieMuffin]

It was moderately sweet, but not off the scale. It is definately worth trying.

[frenetica]

To elaborate on my first answer: for sushi (meaning with rice) I think you need something fairly full-bodied or the vinegary rice will make it seem watery - a Vouvray maybe.

If you are eating US-style sushi with all the bells and whistles - spicy tuna, roasted eel and so on... then it can stand up to a fruity spicy Gewurztraminer. Esp. if you are big on wasabi. Albarino/Alvarinho could be good, too.

If it is purist sashimi, no rice - then a Sicilian grillo: clean, lots of lemon and lime.

[MaggieMuffin]

Other than Sake?

[detlefchef]

Don't sleep on the artisan sakes that are now available in the US. Glorious, complex, and great with food. Oddly enough, the importers going out of the way to position them in non-sushi places, but that has less to do with them not going well with it and more to do with hoping to earn a spot alongside wine on fine lists.

[MaggieMuffin]

Detle. I wish I could enjoy them, but I can't. I've tried dozens and dozens of kinds at all price points, and I just can't get into sake. Maybe it will come...

[RCC]

Sake.

[frenetica]

Champagne or its bubbly cousins.

[nja]

Champagne/Sparkling Wine is an amazing match with sushi. One of, if not the absolute best, wine and food pairing on earth. Accept nothing less.

-Nick