Pairing: Cullin Skink Paired with 2008 Trimbach Cuvée Frédéric Emile Riesling

Food:  ‘Cullin Skink is an absolutely fabulous tasting thick Scottish soup traditionally made with finnan haddie (smoked haddock), potatoes, onion, bay leaf, and milk or cream. “Cullen” is a fishing village located on the Moray Firth, a popular hangout for haddock. “Skink” comes from the German word for shin. Go figure.  Anyway … we are fortunate that we can make fairly regular runs to the NH seacoast (yes, we have a seacoast … all 18 miles of it) to our favorite fish market, Sanders, where we can buy frozen finnan haddie. An excellent online source is www.stonintonseafood.com. Our dish is served with green asparagus and parsley. Pretty and delicious.

Wine:  Alsatian Riesling is a sometimes overlooked wine, playing second fiddle to the more widely known German Rieslings. Alsace is located in the breathtakingly beautiful northeast corner of France, just across the border with Germany, not too far from the region where the great German Rieslings originate. Riesling has been grown in this area at least since the 9th Century, and the Trimbach family has been producing fine wine there since 1626. Almost 400 years … Remarkable!

Tasting Notes:  A deep golden color. Lovely aromas of ripe peach and melon. The smoked haddock really seems to bring out the delicious melon flavors in the wine. One could make the case that the flavor is akin to the taste of a French Charentais Melon. And lest we forget, the peach flavor is also there. The Alsatian Riesling is a lot like its German cousin, but a bit drier and with a hint of acidity. The smoked fish and the clean, slightly sweet wine are a perfect match (IMHO).

Other Wines That Pair Well with Cullin Skink:  Gewürztraminer (France), Vouvray (Loire Valley), Chenin Blanc (South Africa)

Other Food That Pairs Well with Alsatian Riesling: Choucroute, Crab, Scallops, Salads or Other Dishes Made with Peaches or Melon

View the Striking Landscapes and Architecture of Alsace:  Alsace

A Source:  www. klwines.com