What wine goes with salmon and oily fish: white or red?
346 wines to serve with salmon and oily fishWith salmon and oily fish, serve a full-bodied, fresh white such as a Chardonnay or a Riesling, or a light Pinot Noir at around 14 °C. The rich flesh of salmon, tuna or mackerel can take wines with character, as long as they keep their liveliness.
For smoked salmon or gravlax, go for the tension of a German Riesling. A grilled fillet or seared tuna happily welcomes a supple red from New Zealand or Etna. Explore this path with our Pinot Noirs, chosen for their crunchy fruit.
Gómez Cruzado - Pancrudo Garnacha 2022
A high-altitude Garnacha, luminous and precise, which combines freshness, finesse and aromatic intensity.
Scions of Sinai - Cinsault Heldervallei 2023
A juicy and precise South African Cinsault, which highlights the granitic finesse of the Helderberg.
Domaine Nico - Le Paradis Pinot Noir 2018
An Argentinian high-altitude Pinot Noir combining aromatic finesse, freshness and elegant texture.
Domaine Nico - Grand Mere Pinot Noir 2022
An Argentinian high-altitude Pinot Noir that combines finesse, freshness and aromatic depth.
Domaine Edmond Monnot - Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc 2023
A Hautes-Côtes Chardonnay that puts freshness before oak.
Domaine Jeannin-Naltet - Mercurey Blanc 2023
A stony white Mercurey, with pear and the toastiness of the barrel in perfect balance.
Erath - Pinot Noir Estate Selection Willamette Valley 2019
Erath's single-plot selection, a silky, fragrant Oregon Pinot.
Tabalí - Talinay Pai Pinot Noir 2020
A Pinot Noir combining Burgundian finesse with the unique minerality of Limarí's terroirs
Tabalí - Talinay Pinot Noir 2021
A pure and mineral expression of Pinot Noir, planted on the coastal part of Chile
Charles de Fère - Crémant de Bourgogne Chardonnay Brut Grande Cuvée
A crémant made entirely from Chardonnay: white flowers, green apple, a fine, long mousse.
Pete's Pure - Pinot Noir 2021
Cherry, raspberry and strawberry: a light Pinot Noir whose freshness makes it very easy to drink.
Olivier Guyot - Marsannay Rosé Fleur de Printemps 2022
Fleur de Printemps lives up to its name: strawberry and cherry on a lively, light palate.
Domaine de La Bouche du Roi - La Voie Royale Chenin 2023
A Chenin from the Plaine de Versailles, taut and deeply mineral.
Emmerich Knoll - Vinothekfüllung Riesling 2024
A great Wachau Riesling, powerful and chiselled. Ripe fruit meets persistent saline minerality.
Weingut Bründlmayer - R. Kamptal Terrassen 2024
A precise, luminous terrace Riesling, between yellow fruit and mineral freshness.
Emmerich Knoll - Ried Loibenberg Riesling 2024
A great terroir Riesling, broad and chiselled. The warmth of the Loibenberg meets deep minerality.
Golan Heights Winery - Gamla Chardonnay 2023
A Chardonnay from the northern Golan, fresh and nuanced. Ripe fruit meets a fine touch of French oak.
Luis Pato - Espumante Vinha Pan 2022
A Brut Nature from Baga, taut and deeply food-friendly. Bairrada in a sparkling wine of character.
Marco de Bartoli - Sole e Vento Bianco 2023
Two Sicilian terroirs brought together in a fresh, saline and intensely Mediterranean white.
Weingut Bründlmayer - Ried Loiserberg Erste Lage 2024
A vibrant, mineral and chiselled hillside Riesling.
Marco de Bartoli - Vecchio Samperi NV
A great Sicilian perpetual wine, deep and singular. The saline imprint of Marsala in a refined oxidative expression.
Mac Forbes - GI Spring Riesling 2021
A lively, delicate high-altitude Riesling, between fruity brightness, floral finesse and mineral tension.
Joh Jos Prüm - Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese 2022
A great Mosel Riesling, pure and crystalline, where the finesse of the sugar is balanced by a vibrant minerality.
Domaine Bonnardot - Hautes Côtes de nuits Rosé 2023
Pinot Noir rosé, raspberry and redcurrant, tightened by a fine minerality.
Which wine for which salmon dish?
The cooking method changes everything: raw fish calls for tension, grilled fish can take a red. Here are our pairings, recipe by recipe.
| Dish | Wines to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Smoked salmon blinis, toasts, homemade smoked salmon | Dry Riesling, brut sparkling wine | Acidity cuts through the fat and salt, and the bubbles lighten each bite. |
| Salmon gravlax or tartare gravlax with dill, tartare with lemon | Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc | Their aromatic freshness answers the dill and citrus. |
| Grilled salmon fillet salmon à la plancha, cooked skin-side only | Light Pinot Noir, rosé with character | Fine tannins and crunchy fruit that embrace the grilled skin. |
| Salmon with sorrel or en papillote salmon with sorrel, en papillote with lemon | Full-bodied Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc | The texture of the wine coats the flesh, and its freshness answers the acidity of the sorrel. |
| Seared or roast tuna sesame-seared tuna, Basque-style tuna | Etna Rosso (Nerello Mascalese), Pinot Noir | The almost meaty flesh of tuna calls for a fresh red with delicate tannins. |
| Grilled sardines or mackerel barbecued sardines, mackerel à la plancha | Lively white from Portugal, Cinsault from Chile or South Africa | Their liveliness balances powerful flesh and the smoky note of the grill. |
| Salmon en croûte or in cream coulibiac, salmon with cream sauce | Barrel-aged Chardonnay, Sémillon | A rich white stands up to the pastry and the sauce, with well-integrated oak. |
With salmon glazed with soy or honey, a Riesling with a touch of sweetness creates a lovely sweet and savoury contrast.
Dare to pair red with salmon
Salmon and tuna are among the few fish that happily welcome a red wine. Their dense flesh and natural oils balance fine tannins. Pinot Noir remains our first choice: served chilled, it brings crunchy red fruit and an acidity that refreshes every bite.
For seared tuna, look to Sicily: the Etna Rosso from Tenuta Monte Ilice, made from Nerello Mascalese, offers a mineral backbone and silky tannins. Cinsault, in its lighter version like the one from Gonzalo Guzmán in Chile's Itata Valley, is also at home with grilled sardines. For whites, Chardonnays from Australia and South Africa, or German Riesling, take over for creamy and smoked recipes.
Three pairings to try
Sesame-seared tuna and Etna Rosso. The volcanic notes of the wine answer the toasted crust.
Smoked salmon and German Riesling. A lemony tension that lightens the fat and salt.
Grilled sardines and chilled Cinsault. A light, generous red for a summer meal.
The Wine Wanderer Team
Your questions about wine and oily fish
What red wine goes with salmon?
Choose a light Pinot Noir, served at around 14 °C. Its fine tannins and red fruit go well with the rich flesh of salmon, especially when grilled or roasted. A Cinsault or a red from Etna made from Nerello Mascalese are excellent alternatives. Browse our light red wines to find yours.
What wine goes with smoked salmon?
With smoked salmon, serve a dry, lively white, ideally a Riesling from Germany or Austria. Its acidity cuts through the fat, and its citrus notes refresh the smokiness. A brut sparkling wine is also a lovely option for an aperitif or the festive season, with blinis and a little cream.
White or red wine with a salmon fillet?
Both work, depending on the recipe. A fillet with cream, with sorrel or en papillote calls for a full-bodied white such as Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc. A fillet grilled à la plancha, with crispy skin, goes very well with a light Pinot Noir or a rosé with character.
What wine goes with tuna?
For seared or roast tuna, a fresh red with silky tannins is ideal: Pinot Noir, Etna Rosso or Cinsault. Its firm, almost meaty flesh welcomes them very well. For raw tuna as tataki or tartare, go back to a lively white, Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.
What wine goes with sardines or mackerel?
These powerful fish call for a lively, straightforward wine: a dry white from Portugal or Spain, a Sauvignon Blanc, or a light red such as Cinsault. The acidity balances their pronounced flavour. With mackerel marinated in white wine, a dry Riesling nicely extends the marinade.
At what temperature should wine be served with salmon?
Serve lively whites between 8 and 10 °C, fuller Chardonnays at around 12 °C and light reds between 13 and 15 °C. A chilled Pinot Noir keeps its crunchy fruit and goes better with the flesh of the fish. Twenty minutes in the fridge is enough to bring it to the right temperature.