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.
Nyetimber - Rosé NV
A delicate English rosé, between red fruit and pastry notes.
Planeta - Cerasuolo Di Vittoria 2023
A luminous Sicilian red, fresh and delicious, between crunchy fruit and floral finesse.
Hahn - Pinot Noir 2021
A juicy, balanced Californian Pinot Noir, where coastal freshness highlights vibrant fruit and silky tannins.
Cristom - Eileen 2021
A high-altitude Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills, combining freshness, aromatic depth, and a silky texture.
Schloss Johannisberg - Gelblack Trocken 2024
A dry Rheingau Riesling, vibrant and mineral, with a freshness made for the table.
Mac Forbes - Pinot Noir 2021
A Yarra Valley Pinot Noir all about finesse and freshness. Fruity, floral and subtly spiced.
Barbeito - Verdelho Old Reserve (med dry) NV
A Madeira with character, where Verdelho combines measured sweetness and saline tension.
Au Bon Climat - Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir 2021
A precise and profound cool-climate California Pinot Noir that marries aromatic elegance with a silky texture.
Planeta - Etna Rosso 2023
A volcanic Sicilian red, fine and vibrant, where red fruit meets elegant saline freshness.
Weingut Bründlmayer - R. Zobinger Heiligenstein Lyra 2019
A terroir Riesling, incisive and deep, where stone meets the brilliance of the fruit.
Nyetimber - Cuvée Prestige 1086 rosé 2010
A high-precision English rosé, between intense red fruit and chalky elegance.
Cristom - Paul Gerrie 2021
A precise and elegant Pinot Noir from Eola-Amity Hills, combining freshness, aromatic depth, and a silky texture.
Nyetimber - Classic Cuvée NV
The elegance of English bubbles, between chalky freshness and toasty indulgence.
Suginishiki - Saké Tenpo 13 2023
A Yamahai Junmai from Shiga with a deep personality, where the richness of the rice meets a refined umami intensity.
Weingut Bründlmayer - G. V. Kamptal Terrassen 2024
A terrace-grown Grüner Veltliner, lively and peppery, where fruit meets fine mineral tension.
Cristom - Marjorie 2021
A Pinot Noir from an iconic parcel in the Eola-Amity Hills, combining aromatic finesse and elegant structure.
Elizabeth Spencer - Pinot Noir 2022
A precise and elegant Californian Pinot Noir, combining freshness, aromatic finesse and a silky texture.
Seresin Estate - Momo Pinot Noir 2023
A Marlborough Pinot Noir combining precise fruit, freshness and textural finesse.
Felton Road - MacMuir Pinot Noir 2023
A precise and profound Pinot Noir from Central Otago, combining freshness, fine tannins and aromatic intensity.
Storm - Ignis Pinot Noir 2023
A precise and elegant South African Pinot Noir, carried by the maritime freshness and depth of its terroir in Hemel-en-Aarde.
Chamisal - SLO Chardonnay 2021
A coastal Chardonnay from San Luis Obispo, combining maritime freshness, vibrant fruit and subtle oak.
Yarra Yering - Warramate Pinot Noir 2021
A Pinot Noir from the Yarra Valley combining aromatic finesse, freshness and elegant texture.
Tyrrell's - Winemakers Selection Vat 47 Chardonnay 2021
An iconic Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley, combining precision, freshness and aromatic depth.
Chamisal - SLO Pinot Noir 2021
A precise and silky coastal Pinot Noir, where maritime freshness meets generous aromatics.
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.