Seafood fans, picture plump scallops steaming in a fragrant garlic sauce atop glass noodles, paired with the briny zip of Hidalgo Manzanilla Sherry from Spain – that’s the spot-on match our Saturday Kitchen wine expert Helen McGinn champions this week. The core theme? Saltiness and freshness that intensifies delicate seafood without overpowering it. The recipe Helen was pairing was Steamed Cantonese Scallops with Garlic Sauce, Glass Noodles and Pickled Cucumbers.
The Wine
Hidalgo Manzanilla is from Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain’s Sherry Triangle, where Palomino grapes bask in coastal Atlantic winds. Its biologically aged under a layer of yeast called “flor,” giving it a pale, dry finesse unlike fuller Sherries. You’re tasting saline almonds, green olives, chamomile, and a touch of doughy yeastiness. Crisp, nutty, and endlessly refreshing. Its a steal from Majestic from £10.
As Helen said “We have got a bone-dry sherry for this one. Obviously, we’re in Spain, we’re down in the south-west corner, very hot, and this is a manzanilla from La Gitana, from a producer called Hidalgo, who are one of the oldest producers. And because of its coastal location it gives it a salty tang. So it works really well with anything like this where you’ve got soy and seafood. So you kind of match the saltiness and umami with the salty tang. Its £10 from Majestic, so really great value as well. And a little goes a long way.”
I’m more of a port drinker usually, so Sherry isn’t my first reach. But I’ve enjoyed some excellent half-bottles over the years, including Manzanilla. This pairing has me genuinely curious – enough that I’ve got scallops on the weekend list and a bottle chilling. I’ll report back once I’ve tested it properly.
Why It Complements the Dish
Helen nails the science here: the wine’s coastal character mirrors and elevates the dish’s Asian-inspired lightness.
Handling The Main Protein/Texture: Manzanilla is light enough to let the scallops do the talking – no heaviness, just a clean backdrop that lets their sweet, briny flavour come through exactly as the steam intended.
Cutting Richness/Sauce: Where the garlic butter starts to sit rich on the palate, the Sherry cuts straight through it, all salt and acidity, like a gust off the water.
Complementing Secondary Flavours: The wine’s own nuttiness quietly echoes the glass noodles and garlic rather than fighting them, while its brininess pulls the pickled cucumber into the fold.
Helen put it well: something about this pairing makes a simple weeknight steam feel like eating by the sea. Get the scallops on, grab a bottle of Hidalgo Manzanilla from Majestic, and enjoy.
Helen summed it up perfectly: this combo transforms the process of simple steaming into seaside magic. Whip up the Steamed Cantonese Scallops, grab your Hidalgo Manzanilla from Majestic, and cheers to effortless elegance at home!