Pairing: Halibut with Fresh Polenta Paired with a 2012 Chateau Saint Roch Côtes du Roussillon Vieilles Vignes Blanc 

Food:  What do you do when a commercial fisherman acquaintance drops by and plops a 30 lb halibut on your countertop? First, thank him … profusely (after paying him, of course). Then, … get out a big, sharp knife and lots of newspaper. Then, … share with friends … and eat lots of halibut in the coming year! Gee … what a sacrifice!

Here, we’ve simply poached the fish in some salted water and served it on top of some freshly made polenta. We used the recipe taken directly from Jacques Pépin’s Fast Food My Way. What’s particularly special is that the polenta is made from corn kernels cut right off the cob and pureed in a blender. Fabulous!

Wine:  Cote du Roussillon are the A.O.C. designated wines of the Roussillon wine region of southern France located just east of the Pyrenees Mountains that border France and Spain.  Grenache Blanc and Marsanne, two widely grown grapes in the south of ‘France, are blended to make the 2012 Chateau Saint Roch Vieilles Vignes (meaning ‘old vines’). The winery is located about 15 miles from the city of Perpignan, not far from the Mediterranean Sea, and 20 miles from the border with Spain.

Tasting Notes:  The color of pale gold or straw. Fresh white peach and aromatic Charentais melon on the nose. The Charentais melon is the initial taste one experiences, but then a touch of lime adds a zing. Clean, fresh lime carries the day on the finish. The pairing:  the corn polenta has a lovely natural  sweetness that complements nicely the combined fruit flavors of the wine. A wonderful pairing!

Other Wines That Pair Well with Halibut and Fresh Polenta: Pinot Gris (Alsace, France), Chardonnay (California), Soave Classico (Italy), Prosecco (Italy)

Other Food That Pairs Well with Côtes du Roussillon: Smoked Fish, Pork, Ham, Seafood

View the Languedoc-Roussillon Region:  Languedoc-Roussillon

A Source:  www. klwines.com