The Old Harbour Fishing Village is one of the largest fishing villages in Jamaica, if not the largest. This bustling seaport is five kilometres (3 miles) from Old Harbour, St Catherine.

I arrive just in time to see people rushing to meet an incoming boat. After getting out of the car and walking around I ask a nearby fisherwoman, Rosezine, what all the excitement is about — thinking that my timing was perfect and I am right on time for an incoming canoe with a sizeable haul of #freshcatch. No such luck! The rush of people is to welcome two returning fishermen who had been stuck at sea. I watch as fishermen and fisherwomen crowd around the two men and started hugging them as they were walking up the beach, happy to see that they had safely returned to shore.

Realising that the two men can do anything but drink wine — needing to hydrate and rest — I turn to Rosezine and ask, “Are you a fisherwoman?” She answers in the affirmative. Rosezine Banton was born on the beach. “Whole a we born on the beach,” she proudly declares before adding that she’s been a fisherwoman for just over eight years.

I follow her to meet her crew and to source hog snapper. I am soon introduced to another fisherman and Rosezine’s life partner, her husband Omar Banton.

As I look into the igloo, Omar sounds off on his #freshcatch notably snapper, mullet, snook, silver fish and porgy. “We call it (Porgy) Macka because of the spikes on the back,” he informs.

Omar has been fishing since he was a 9th grader at Old Harbour High.

Porgy seems to be a common fish but I had never heard of it before I started visiting fishing villages in Jamaica. Another fisherman, Shawn Banton (Omar’s brother), describes the porgy flesh as “soft” but “sweet”. I soon realise that this is a family affair and business that operates in the close-knit community of Old Harbour Bay Fishing Village.

I have the wines, they the fish. Rosezine directs me to a shady spot under a sea grape tree so we can share, sip and savour.

They start to tell me about their cooking styles. “Steam, brown and fry, all purpose, and corn fish.” Corn fish? That’s something new. I immediately think about corn pork but it’s far from it!

“We dry it like salt fish and cook it same way,” Rosezine shares. Omar adds that it can be done with any fish. “Cut him from his back (not belly) and slab him (butterfly the fish).” Then “we clean him up and put likkle salt, cornmeal, Scotch bonnet pepper, and pimento. The fish is then put in the sun by hanging it on a wire or laying it flat, two-three days and it’s ready. You can also corn it in the fridge,” he explains.

This week’s pours are Josh Prosecco, 1924 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Cristina Casasole, Minuty Rosé and AIX Rosé, and for the grande finale, Oyster Bay Pinot Noir.

For the Josh Prosecco, my fishing crew suggests brown stew fish because of the flavour and, too, a roast fish.

“This drink nice, nice fish, and a nice wife,” Omar says. The Josh Prosecco is also Rosezine’s favourite. Omar likes it so much he wants to go and buy it. Josh Prosecco is sparkling and bright, with refreshing acidity and a touch of sweetness from ripe fruit making it ideal for savoury and spicy dishes.

1924 Double Gold Sauvignon Blanc is up next. “Dis one strong,” Omar says. His brother recommends fry fish and fry lobster, with bammy and festival. “This would taste and fit it right.” This wine is crisp with aromas of bright citrus and stone fruit (think: peach, plum, and apricot, to name a few). This lively white wine is the perfect partner for an array of seafood dishes.

I open the Santa Cristina Casasole Orvieto Classico. Having had this one before I knew what’s coming. “This one! This one is the one. It’s softer and smooth. This with a nice steam fish with okra and pumpkin and some Irish would be perfect. Rosezine is not wrong. Indeed, this wine is softer and in fact was described as having a smooth sweetness when I revisited the tasting note profile.

We then move on to the two rosés (one drier than the other). The Minuty M Rosé is a favourite go-to summer water and would pair well with some of the lighter cooking styles of fish, shrimp and anything seafood done on the grill. On the AIX Rosé: “This strong too,” Omar shares. “Have you ever had curry conch? This would go well. Roast foil conch too.” AIX Rosé is elegant, generous and delicious!

“All seafood would taste good with these wines.” Omar says as he, Shawn and Rosezine review the bottles displayed on the table. I open our last bottle. On to the red! As soon as we are tasting the wine Shawn blurts out, “Stuffed fish with cabbage, or callaloo, pumpkin and Maggie (noodle-cock soup) and likkle butter — stuff it and it would be great!”

My crew of three has by this time grown to a crew of seven.

“The whole a dem can drink with food and dem can all keep it in a sauce,” shares Fire Sea — a young Rasta fisherman also born on the sea. He says, “For fisherman, that is a must and I have been fishing from the day I was born.” When he cooks he will cook ital and fish dishes too.

Trainer Rat, another fisherman that joined our ranks, says that the wine would also go well with his signature dish “lobster cuisine” also known as “brown stew cuisine”.

Tolu Paul says, “It’s roast fish for me. Season it with salt, lime, tomato, cucumber and Scotch bonnet. You make the sauce then dip roast — cooking the fish in the sauce after it’s built. I would have this with the Casasole. If you want a likkle okra it can go in it, but not everyone likes okra so it’s not used frequently.”

We laugh. We laugh a lot. I take pictures and ask them to smile and they smile even more. I start packing up to leave when Omar looks up with a slight smile and asks, “So when are you coming back?”

They invite me to return to sit again, taste wine and eat. Turns out we have people in common from when I would go out on the canoes to Pigeon or Pelican island. We exchange numbers — plus I want to buy fish and have been searching for hog snapper. Rosezine walks me to my car and we promise to keep in touch.

It was a good day with good people, fish and wine. I drive out of Old Harbour Bay Fishing Village savouring this travel adventure, not knowing what or who I would find when I first started out. But leaving with a full heart and new friends.

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.” — Anthony Bourdain

#NoReservations #Lent #Fish #Wine #Winelover #willtravelforfoodandwine. Find and follow me on Instagram and TikTok @raihndrops. Let’s lift your spirits!