Match of the week
Sashimi and Koshu
This week’s match had to involve the extraordinary Kaiseki meal I had at Umu. I wrote it up extensively a few days ago so I won’t dwell on it again but rather focus on the pairing that I think would work best in a less rarified contest. And that’s sashimi and unoaked koshu.
Koshu, as those of you who’ve read the piece will know is a Japanese white wine made from a grape variety of the same name. It’s not particularly characterful but that’s a virtue when it comes to sashimi where you want a wine that’s absolutely clean and without obvious fruit or oak character. Unwooded versions also have a crisp acidity that contrasts well with the slightly oily, soft texture of raw fish. (It was particularly good with the creamy raw cuttlefish)
I appreciate it’s currently hard to get hold of outside Japan but I’m sure that will change over the coming months. Look out for it in Japanese shops and supermarkets.
If you’d like be able to check out all the food and wine pairings on the site you can buy a bundle of credits here to access my premium content.
And/or for regular updates on what and where I’ve been eating, drinking and travelling sign up for my weekly newsletter Eat This, Drink That, Live Well.