Swordfish
Swordfish is often called the steak of the sea — its firm, dense flesh holds up to intense grilling, and its meaty flavor can handle bolder wines than most seafood. This makes swordfish one of the best candidates for a light red wine pairing.
Wine Pairings
A full-bodied Viognier from the Rhône or California has the weight and floral-peach depth to match grilled swordfish with olive tapenade or herb crust.
A medium-bodied Pinot Noir — Oregon or Burgundy — is the swordfish red wine match. Its silky tannins and cherry fruit complement the meaty flesh.
Tavel rosé from the southern Rhône is one of France's boldest rosés — its strawberry-garrigue depth handles grilled swordfish with Mediterranean herbs.
Sardinian Vermentino — salty, citrusy, with a bitter almond finish — is a natural Italian match for swordfish with capers and lemon.
The meaty intensity of swordfish overwhelms light, delicate whites — they disappear next to grilled swordfish steak.
A light Mencia from Bierzo has graphite-red fruit with earthy depth that works surprisingly well with swordfish in a bold tomato-olive sauce.