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.
Tabalí - Talinay Chardonnay 2023
A Chardonnay that is both vibrant and smooth
Santa Rita - Secret Reserve Pinot Noir 2023
Cherry and raspberry, a Chilean Pinot Noir all in finesse, with no show of strength.
Elena Walch - Kalterersee Classico Superiore Per Sé 2024
Schiava in its joyful lightness: crunchy cherry and fresh almond.
Yarra Yering - Chardonnay 2021
An Australian Chardonnay of great precision, where freshness, mineral tension and elegance come together to reveal all the finesse of the Yarra Valley's cool terroirs.
Kusuda - Dry Riesling 2023
A dry and crystalline New Zealand Riesling, where sharp freshness meets aromatic precision of great purity.
Cantine Ermes - Tenuta Orestiadi Rosato Nerello Mascalese 2024
An elegant and refreshing Sicilian rosé, where the finesse of Nerello Mascalese meets the minerality of the Gibellina hills.
Viu Manent - Secret Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A precise and vibrant Chilean Sauvignon, where oceanic freshness meets an intense and pure aromatic profile.
Otronia - Brut Nature Rosé
A sparkling Patagonian rosé of great freshness, where the precision of Pinot Noir meets the energy of the southern climate.
Huber - Berg Erste Lage Riesling 2018
A precise and saline Riesling from a limestone terroir, which combines tension, aromatic purity and great elegance.
David & Nadia - Grenache 2022
The finesse of South African granite in an ethereal Grenache
Vesevo - Beneventano Falanghina 2023
A cuvée made from Falanghina, an indigenous grape variety from Campania
Alheit Vineyards - Fire by Night 2023
A high-class Chenin blanc from old Swartland vines
Barco Del Corneta - Barco Del Corneta Verdejo 2021
A wine full of talent filtered by minimalism and the pure expression of the terroir.
Te Mata Estate - Chardonnay Estate Vineyards 2021
A Hawke's Bay Chardonnay that plays on creamy richness without losing its lemony tension.
Santa Rita - Floresta Chardonnay 2022
A Chardonnay from Limarí on limestone soils, creamy and saline, between citrus, exotic fruit and hazelnut.
DuMOL - Wester Reach Pinot Noir 2023
A Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, fragrant and energetic, between cherry, wild blackberry and spice.
Sonoma-Cutrer - Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022
A Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, all finesse, between red fruit, spice and black tea.
Kosta Browne - Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2022
A Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills, between bramble flowers, strawberry and spice, with an elegant structure.
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - Sierra Grande Sauvignon Blanc 2021
A Sauvignon Blanc expressing the vibrant fruit of Chile's Central Valley combined with the elegance of its mountain terroir.
Gritsch - Grüner Veltliner cru Setzberg 2017
An elegant white with a perfect balance between tension and minerality
Karl Steininger - Grüner Veltliner «Grand Grü» Reserve 2018
A round, fine and complex white with intense flavors of yellow fruits
Emiliana - Ecobalance Viognier 2019
A biodynamic Viognier, made with pure respect for the environment
Colterenzio - Classic Pinot Grigio 2018
A Pinot Gris from the far north of Italy, round, fresh and elegant!
Matías Riccitelli - The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree - Torrontés 2022
A Torrontés full of minerality and complex on citrus fruits.
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.