Pairing: Sauvignon blanc with seafood

As I sipped our Wine of the Week, Sidebar 2014 High Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($25), I felt transported, as if I had been lifted from my desk and set down seaside. This wine is seafood’s best friend.

The wine is clean, bright and crisp on the palate, with melodies of citrus and green melon riding a supple wave on the wine’s pleasing finish. There’s just a hint of wet cement and river rocks and, right about the time you’re ready for your next sip, there’s a burst of pomelo that fades like a distant echo.

This wine has broad appeal at the table. Classic sauvignon blanc matches such as feta cheese, chevre, green olives, fresh favas and other green spring vegetables blossom with this easy quaffer along-side. Celery and chickpeas are also flattered by the wine.

But the magic comes with seafood, especially shellfish. Razor clams are, I think, the quintessential pairing. You don’t even need a recipe; just cook them on a hot griddle or pan for a couple of minutes and enjoy them with lemon and garlic butter.

But any clams, any good oysters, scallops, crab and abalone cozy up well with this wine. Sanddabs, Petrale sole and flounder are also great companions. For today’s recipe, I’m inspired by one of my favorite combinations, clams, chickpeas and celery, which I enjoy in salads, soups and this casual, rustic pasta dish.

Clams with Chickpeas, Pasta & Celery Relish

Serves 3 to 4

3 celery stalks, trimmed and strings removed, cut into small dice

2 tablespoons minced red onion

- Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste

- Kosher salt

5 tablespoons best-quality olive oil

2 pounds fresh small clams or cockles, rinsed thoroughly (see Note below)

1/3 cup dry white wine

1½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4 ounces small dried pasta, cooked in salted water until just tender, drained and rinsed

- Black pepper in a mill

3 tablespoons fresh snipped chives

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Put the celery into a small bowl, add the onion, lemon zest and lemon juice and toss gently. Season with salt, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, taste and correct for salt and acid balance. Cover and set aside.

Pour the remaining olive oil into a heavy pan (cast iron is ideal) set over high heat, add the clams and wine, cover and cook, agitating the pan every few seconds, until the clams open, about 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, add the chickpeas and pasta, turn gently and heat through. Discard any clams that did not open.

Divide among individual soup plates, being sure to include pan juices with each portion. Spoon celery relish on top, sprinkle with chives, garnish with lemon wedges and enjoy right away.

Note: Check each clam and discard any that don’t close when pushed. Discard clams that are loosely closed, too, as they may be filled with mud.

Email Michele Anna Jordan at catsmilk@sonic.net. You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.