Date: November 4, 2011

There's a famous scene in the movie From Russia with Love where James Bond and his girlfriend meet up with an enemy assassin who is pretending to be a British agent. In the dining car the Orient Express, the "British" agent orders Chianti with his filet of sole. Bond sees through the duplicity of the other agent too late when he is knocked down from behind as they move to Bond's compartment. He remarks, "Red wine with fish. Well, that should have told me something." After some serious discussion, what ensues in the compartment is one of the all-time great movie fight scenes, but not necessarily over the old rules of choosing the wrong wine with food.

Of course one normally imagines the delicate flavors of seafood - oysters, steamed clams, and mild white fish, to name a few - pairing naturally with chilled white wine. But with apologies to Mr. Bond, we do not dismiss the ability of red wines like Pinot Noir to enhance many seafood offerings. It is hearty enough to stand up to our zesty Dungeness crab cioppino, yet its subtle softness also makes for a great pairing with the more pronounced flavors of grilled salmon, swordfish and yellowfin tuna. We like the California Series Pinot Noir from DeLoach Vineyards, and you'll find it on The Fish Market menu for a limited time. DeLoach specializes in small-lot winemaking and their passion is Pinot Noir. Give it a try on your next visit.