What wine goes with white meat? Chardonnay, Chenin or Pinot Noir
1 048 wines to serve with white meatWith white meat, serve a full-bodied white such as Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc, or a light, fruity red such as Pinot Noir. The sauce guides the choice: cream and mushrooms point to white, roasting juices and golden skin to red.
Poultry, veal and pork share tender, delicate meat. Our selection brings together Chenins from South Africa, Chardonnays from Burgundy, Rieslings, Pinot Noirs from all over the world and a few sakes for Asian-inspired recipes.
Barbeito - Duas Pipas Reserva (med dry)
An extremely rare medium-dry Madeira, born of two casks of Bastardo, creamy, deep and vibrant.
Barbeito - Tinta Negra 3 ans (dry)
A dry Madeira from Tinta Negra, lively and saline, between toasted almond, dried fruit and light smoke.
Tedeschi - Lucchine 2025
A light, crunchy Valpolicella from Pedemonte, all cherry and small red berries.
San Polino - Sant'Antimo 2024
An organic Sangiovese from Montalcino, bright and juicy, between crunchy cherry and garrigue.
Poliziano - Fiori Rossi 2024
A floral, intense Rosso di Montepulciano, whose name, "red flowers", says everything about its finesse.
Poliziano - Rosso di Montepulciano 2024
An organic Rosso di Montepulciano from Poliziano, bursting with red fruit, taut and precise.
Monte Santoccio - Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2020
A classic Amarone from Fumane, dried on racks until January, dense, velvety and balanced.
Monte Santoccio - Valpolicella Classico 2024
Monte Santoccio's first wine, an elegant, saline and precise Valpolicella Classico from Fumane.
La Spinetta - Barbaresco Valeirano 2022
A Barbaresco from Treiso, taut and mineral, dark and powerful, built for long ageing.
La Spinetta - Barbera d'Alba Gallina 2023
A single-plot Barbera d'Alba from the Gallina cru in Neive, juicy, lively and highly precise.
Guicciardini Strozzi - Chianti Colli Senesi Titolato 2024
A gourmand Chianti Colli Senesi from around San Gimignano, lively, fruity and typically Tuscan.
Giacomo Fenocchio - Roero Arneis 2025
A Roero Arneis from Monteu Roero, sapid and floral, with hints of broom and chamomile.
Borgogno - Era Ora Riesling 2024
An organic high-altitude Riesling, perched at 500 metres above Alba, taut and mineral.
Agriverde - Riseis Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2023
An organic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, dark and generous, aged in stainless steel and concrete without oak.
Agriverde - Riseis Pecorino 2025
An organic Pecorino from the hills of Ortona, lively and aromatic, with a delicately saline finish.
Agriverde - Riseis Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2025
An organic Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, fresh and lively, with scents of orchard fruit and verbena.
Zárate - Albariño 2025
A finely chiselled Albariño from the Val do Salnés, tautened by granite and carried by Atlantic salinity.
Terroir Al Limit - Les Manyes 2023
The grand cru Les Manyes: a Garnacha Peluda perched at 800 m above Scala Dei, airy and intense.
Terroir Al Limit - Les Tosses 2021
The grand cru Les Tosses: a century-old Carignan from the scorched hills of Torroja, powerful and luminous.
Terroir Al Limit - Dits del Terra 2023
A nearly century-old, south-facing Carignan from Torroja, elegant, floral and spicy, with a vertical character.
Terroir Al Limit - Arbossar 2023
A century-old Carignan from a north-facing slope in Torroja, dense, taut and marked by llicorella.
Terroir Al Limit - Pedra de Guix 2023
The « gypsum stone »: a great old-vine white from Priorat, ample, chalky and saline.
Terroir Al Limit - Terra de Cuques Negre 2022
Grenache and Carignan on the llicorella of Torroja: a juicy, precise and vibrant Priorat.
Terroir Al Limit - Terra de Cuques Blanc 2023
The « land of fireflies » of Torroja: an energetic, saline white from Priorat with a caressing texture.
Which wine for which white meat and sauce?
Here, the sauce matters more than the meat. Find your recipe and let us guide you.
| Dish | Wines to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Roast chicken free-range chicken, guinea fowl, capon | Pinot Noir, Burgundy Chardonnay | Golden skin and roasting juices love red fruit as much as the roundness of Chardonnay. |
| Blanquette de veau blanquette, chicken in cream sauce | Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc | Cream calls for a full-bodied white, and the liveliness of Chenin brings lightness to the sauce. |
| Roast pork roast, pork tenderloin with prunes | Riesling, Pinot Noir, light Grenache | Mild, slightly sweet meat goes well with fruit and freshness. |
| Veal escalope piccata with lemon, saltimbocca | Falanghina, lively Italian white | Lemon and sage find an echo in a saline, crisp white. |
| Poultry with morels chicken with morels, chicken supreme with vin jaune | Barrel-aged Chardonnay, dry Tokaji Furmint | Forest floor notes answer the oak and richness of the white. |
| Spiced chicken chicken tikka, yakitori, lemongrass chicken | Riesling, Torrontés, sake | Floral aromas and freshness soothe the spices and go with sweet and savoury sauces. |
| Ribs and glazed pork barbecue ribs, caramel pork | Zinfandel, fruity Syrah | A sweet glaze loves a generous red with ripe fruit and soft tannins. |
With the same dish, a white highlights the tenderness of the meat, while a light red brings out the cooking juices.
Pinot Noir, the bridge between white and red
Pinot Noir is the most versatile red for white meat. Its fine tannins and cherry fruit go as well with a roast chicken as with a pork tenderloin, and it is served slightly cool, at around 14 °C. In Burgundy it gains forest floor notes; in New Zealand or California it offers brighter fruit that pleases the whole table.
For white wine, look to South Africa. Cape Chenin Blanc combines the roundness of a sun-ripened wine with vibrant acidity, ideal with a cream sauce. For an escalope with lemon, the Falanghina from Vesevo, in Campania, brings citrus notes and a saline finish. And for poultry with morels, a barrel-aged Chardonnay remains a classic that is hard to beat.
Three pairings to try
Sunday roast chicken and Pinot Noir. The cooking juices and red fruit make a comforting duo.
Blanquette and Cape Chenin. The tension of Chenin balances the richness of the sauce.
Yakitori and sake. A shared umami note, for a surprisingly precise pairing.
The Wine Wanderer Team
Your questions about wine and white meat
What wine goes with roast chicken?
With a roast chicken, serve a light Pinot Noir or a full-bodied Chardonnay. The red goes with the crispy skin and the juices, the white highlights the tender meat. A fruity Grenache also suits poultry with herbes de Provence. Find all our advice in the guide what wine goes with roast chicken.
White or red wine with white meat?
Both work with white meat: it all depends on the sauce. A cream or butter recipe calls for a round white such as Chardonnay; a roast with its juices or grilled poultry happily takes a light, low-tannin red such as Pinot Noir. A rosé with character is also a lovely summer option.
What wine goes with blanquette de veau?
For a blanquette de veau, choose a full-bodied, fresh white: Burgundy Chardonnay or South African Chenin Blanc. The cream and lemon in the sauce call for both roundness and liveliness. We go into the best pairings in our article on blanquette de veau.
What wine goes with roast pork?
With roast pork, serve an off-dry Riesling or a fruity red such as Pinot Noir. The mild meat of pork loves fruit and freshness. For a pork tenderloin with prunes, a generous Grenache brings a candied note that extends the garnish.
What red wine goes with white meat?
With white meat, choose a light red with supple tannins: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cinsault or a lightly extracted Grenache. Served at around 14 °C, these wines go with poultry, veal and pork while respecting their delicacy. The Rouge Cinsault from Dorrance, in South Africa, is a fine example of this style.
At what temperature should wine be served with white meat?
Serve a full-bodied white between 11 and 13 °C and a light red at around 14 °C. A Chardonnay that is too cold loses its aromas, while a slightly chilled Pinot Noir gains brightness. Take whites out of the fridge twenty minutes before serving.