The Wine Knows

The Seattle P-I calls it one of the most overhyped - and overpriced - food items in the Northwest, but Copper River salmon sure is good.

Copper River salmon has rich, oily meat, so it is quite robust and lends itself to a wide variety of wine pairings. If you plan to get in on the hype, here are some wine suggestions:

Pinot Gris: Oregon's signature white wine is fantastic with grilled salmon because of its ample fruit and acidity. From Oregon, try King Estate, Elk Cove, Benton-Lane, Maysara, Winter's Hill and Dobbes. From Washington, check out Hogue, Columbia Crest and Maryhill. From B.C., consider Wild Goose.

Riesling: This noble white's stock is rising fast, and for good reason: It's a great food wine. Chateau Ste. Michelle's Eroica Riesling gets all the buzz, but also look for its Dry Riesling (affectionately known as "baby Eroica" around the winery). Hogue and Covey Run also make delicious Rieslings from Washington, but don't overlook smaller producers; just be sure to look for Rieslings that are fairly dry.

Chardonnay: Several wineries are cutting back on the amount of oak their using on this Burgundian grape, and that's great for food pairing. It's a rare winery that doesn't make Chardonnay, so you won't have far to look to find a recommendation. Januik Winery crafts some of my favorite Chardonnay in Washington, as does Barnard Griffin. Many wineries are promoting theirs as "unoaked," which should be fun to explore.

Other whites: Lots of white wines have salmon-pairing potential, not the least of which is sparkling wine. Consider a Northwest bubbly from Argyle, Domaine Ste. Michelle, Sumac Ridge or Mountain Dome. One of my favorite food wines these days is Erath Vineyards' Pinot Blanc, which is deliciously fresh. Also look at Viognier, a fruit-driven white that is fantastic from the Northwest.

Pinot Noir: This Burgundian red probably has the best fish-pairing potential. Look for wines with bright fruit rather than brooding, earthy, mushroomy types. Sokol Blosser, Erath, Lange and Kramer are worth checking out. Some Pinot Noir is now being made in Washington's Columbia Cascade region, which is in the northern reaches of the Columbia Valley and has good potential, especially around Lake Chelan.

What do you like to pair with Copper River salmon (or any salmon, for that matter)?