What wine goes with salmon and oily fish: white or red?
345 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.
Blank Canvas - Settlement Vineyard 2020
A precise and elegant Marlborough Pinot Noir, where maritime freshness meets fruit depth.
Bondar - Rayner Vineyard Grenache 2022
A precise and perfumed McLaren Vale Grenache, where coastal freshness meets the depth of the old-vine Rayner vineyard.
Fukunishiki - Saké Junsei Yamada Nishiki Genshu
A characterful, ample and deep kimoto genshu that accurately expresses the nobility of Hyogo's Yamada Nishiki rice.
Bouchard Finlayson - Galpin Peak Pinot Noir 2021
A South African Pinot Noir from a cool climate, combining aromatic finesse, balance and depth of flavor.
Seghesio Family Vineyards - Sonoma Chardonnay 2022
A Sonoma Chardonnay combining rich, flavorful fruitiness, freshness and aromatic precision.
Cullen - Kevin John Chardonnay 2023
A precise and saline biodynamic Chardonnay from Margaret River, where the purity of the fruit meets an elegant woody complexity.
Innocent Bystander - Pinot Noir 2020
An elegant and juicy Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley, driven by freshness and aromatic finesse.
Yarra Yering - Pinot Noir 2018
A Pinot Noir from a cool climate combining aromatic finesse, silky texture and great precision on the palate.
Suginishiki - Saké Kimoto Junmaishu 90 2021
A Kimoto Junmaishu 90 with a rustic and umami profile, which highlights the raw power of rice and traditional fermentation.
Archery Summit - Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2021
A Chardonnay from Dundee Hills that combines freshness, precision and elegance, carried by the finesse of Oregon's volcanic soils.
Archery Summit - Vireton Pinot Noir 2021
A precise and harmonious Oregon Pinot Noir, where the freshness of the fruit meets a silky and elegant texture.
Benanti - Contrada Caldera Sottana Etna Rosso 2022
A high-altitude Etna Rosso, precise and vibrant, where the finesse of Nerello Mascalese meets the mineral energy of the volcano.
Archery Summit - Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2021
A precise and silky Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills, where the purity of the fruit meets the elegance of the volcanic terroir.
Elephant Hill - Reserve Chardonnay 2016
A Chardonnay from Hawke's Bay combining precision, maritime freshness and elegant woody richness.
Jordan Estate - Chardonnay Nine Yards 2023
A precise, ample and chiseled South African Chardonnay that finely expresses the best granite slopes of Stellenbosch.
Bertani - Soave Classico Original Vintage 2022
Garganega from volcanic soils: green apple and almond, with real tension.
Paul Cluver - Pinot Noir Village 2023
A precise and elegant Pinot Noir from Elgin, combining freshness, fruit and a fine texture.
Benanti - Nerello Cappuccio 2020
A 100% Nerello Mascalese from the southwest slopes of Etna, combining harmony and accuracy.
Michelini i Mufatto - A Merced Mencía 2021
A precise and fresh expression of Mencía from Bierzo, combining fruit, tension and tannic finesse.
Elephant Hill - Pinot Noir 2020
A New Zealand Pinot Noir combining aromatic finesse, maritime freshness and silky texture.
Domaine Nico - Histoire d'A Pinot Noir 2022
A fine and precise Argentinian high-altitude Pinot Noir, where Andean freshness meets Burgundian elegance.
Ten Minutes by Tractor - Down the Hill Pinot Noir 2021
A Pinot Noir from a cool climate, precise and vibrant, which combines elegance of fruit and finesse of tannins.
Domaine Nico - La Savante Pinot Noir 2022
An Argentinian high-altitude Pinot Noir that combines finesse, freshness and aromatic depth.
Ten Minutes by Tractor - Up the Hill Pinot Noir 2021
A precise and vibrant high-altitude Pinot Noir, which finely expresses the freshness and elegance of the Mornington peninsula.
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.