Elephant Hill, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, New Zealand Wines, New Zealand wines, Viognier, white wines, Wine and Dine, Wine and Food
Grilled Sea Bass with Fennel Confit & Lemon Butter
Jun
When the sea speaks the same words on both sides of the world
Sea bass doesn’t need any distractions. It needs heat to crisp its skin, something sweet underneath to balance it out—and a wine that understands what it’s all about. The fennel confit takes care of the first part: slowly cooked until the sharpness subsides and the fennel’s natural sugars caramelize. The lemon butter brings it all together: velvety, fresh, with a hint of acidity that lets the fish shine. And then the Elephant Hill Sea Viognier from Hawke’s Bay is poured into the glass—a wine that literally grows by the Pacific and brings exactly that: white peach, apricot, a salty minerality that brings the sea to your nose. The name says it all. Two coasts, one table.
Ideal wine pairing: Elephant Hill Sea Viognier (Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand)
Elephant Hill was founded in 2003 and is located on the Te Awanga coast of Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island—not a metaphor, but literally a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean. The winery is one of Hawke’s Bay’s most renowned estates, known for its elegance and consistent focus on terroir. The grapes for the ‘Sea’ line come from the Te Awanga Estate right by the sea: gravelly soils, cooling sea breezes, and a microclimate that allows for both freshness and concentration. The 2018 vintage was a short, intense harvest: six and a half weeks of hot, dry summer days, interrupted by tropical storms and freezing south winds—a challenge that nevertheless gave the wine exceptional concentration. Whole-cluster pressing, barrel fermentation and aging in 30% new French oak, twelve months on the lees with regular stirring—the remainder in older barrels and stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness. Minimal malolactic fermentation, 13.5% alcohol, dry.
Elephant Hill was founded in 2003 and is located on the Te Awanga coast of Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island—not a metaphor, but literally a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean. The winery is one of Hawke’s Bay’s most renowned estates, known for its elegance and consistent focus on terroir. The grapes for the ‘Sea’ line come from the Te Awanga Estate right by the sea: gravelly soils, cooling sea breezes, and a microclimate that allows for both freshness and concentration. The 2018 vintage was a short, intense harvest: six and a half weeks of hot, dry summer days, interrupted by tropical storms and freezing south winds—a challenge that nevertheless gave the wine exceptional concentration. Whole-cluster pressing, barrel fermentation and aging in 30% new French oak, twelve months on the lees with regular stirring—the remainder in older barrels and stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness. Minimal malolactic fermentation, 13.5% alcohol, dry.
The recipe:
Grilled Sea Bass with Fennel Confit & Lemon Butter
Equipment
- 1 Grill pan or grill
- 1 A wide, heavy skillet with a lid (for the fennel confit)
- 1 Small pot for the lemon butter
- 1 Cutting board and sharp knife
- 1 Brush for oiling
Ingredients
FOR SEA BASS:
- 2 Sea bass fillets about 200 g each, with skin
- 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
- sea salt white pepper
- 4 lemon slices to share
FOR THE FENNEL CONFIT:
- 2 Fennel bulbs geputzt, in ca. 5 mm dicke Scheiben geschnitten (Grün aufbewahren)
- 3 Tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 garlic clove lightly pressed, unpeeled
- 1 1 tsp fennel seeds
- Zest and juice from ½ orange
- 1 A sprig of fresh thyme
- 50 ml dry white wine
- sea salt white pepper
- FOR THE LEMON BUTTER:
- 80 g cold butter diced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 2 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 1 tbsp fresh parsley or chervil finely chopped
- sea salt white pepper
Instructions
FOR THE FENNEL CONFIT (start about 30–35 minutes before serving):
- Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and fennel seeds and sauté briefly until they become fragrant.
- Arrange the fennel slices side by side.
- Add the white wine, orange juice, orange zest, and thyme.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and gently confit over very low heat for 25–30 minutes, until the fennel is tender, lightly caramelized, and translucent.
- Remove the lid and let the liquid reduce briefly over medium heat until the fennel is slightly glossy.
- Knoblauch und Thymian entfernen, warm halten.
FOR THE LEMON BUTTER:
- Bring the shallot, white wine, and lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan and reduce to about 2 tablespoons.
- Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cold butter cubes—the sauce should be creamy and glossy, not boiling.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
- Stir in the parsley or chervil.
- Keep warm—do not boil again.
FOR SEA BASS:
- Pat the fish fillets dry and lightly score the skin side three times with a sharp knife—this prevents them from curling up while grilling.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a grill pan or grill to high heat and brush lightly with olive oil.
- Place the fish skin-side down.
- Grill for 4–5 minutes without turning, until the skin is golden brown and crispy and the fish is almost cooked through on the bottom.
- Grill the lemon slices alongside the meat.
- Turn the fish over and cook for another 1–2 minutes—the center should still be slightly translucent.
SERVE:
- Divide the fennel confit between two preheated plates.
- Place the sea bass fillet on top, skin side up.
- Drizzle the lemon butter generously over the fish.
- Place a grilled lemon slice and some fresh fennel greens next to it.
- Serve the Sea Viognier at 10–11 °C.
SIDE DISHES:
- Toasted baguette for dipping in the lemon butter
- A small tomato and herb salad as a light appetizer
Nutrition
