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.
Vigneti del Vulture - Pipoli Rosato Basilicata 2025
A rosé made from Aglianico, elegant, fruity and delicious
Cantina Cellaro - Lumà Grillo 2025
A Sicilian wine with delicate flavors of Grillo, a local white grape variety
Gaia - Notios White 2022
The sun of Greece united in this vintage full of freshness!
D'Arenberg - The Stump Jump White Blend 2025
A superb blend of 4 white grape varieties which results in an aromatic vintage full of freshness
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - Las Cruces Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A crisp and intense Sauvignon Blanc, from the cool terroirs of Chile
460 Casina Bric - Nebbiolo d'Alba Spumante "Cuvée 970" Brut Rosé 2021
A fine and elegant sparkling wine based on Nebbiolo
D'Arenberg - The Olive Grove 2021
A beautiful chardonnay with a balanced and intense structure that delights and seduces the taste buds!
Sutto - Prosecco Brut Rosé Millésimé 2021
A vintage rosé Prosecco made from Pinot noir and Glera
Groot Constantia - Lady of Abundance 2021
An astonishing blend with flavors of black fruits and spices
Boutinot - La Collection Côte de Thau 2023
A rosé from the banks of the Thau Basin with a mineral, dry and refreshing character.
Zeni - Bardolino Chiaretto Classico "Vigne Alte" 2025
A gastronomic rosé, with gourmet flavors of red fruits
Pikes - Hills & Valleys Riesling 2025
A subtle and classy Riesling with citrus and white fruits.
Sottimano - Maté Brachetto 2024
A bright, floral and fragrant wine.
Wildeberg - Coterie Semillon & Sauvignon 2021
A Sémillon-Sauvignon blanc marriage, round and complex
Atamisque - Serbal Viognier 2024
A beautiful high-altitude Viognier full of freshness and deliciousness!
Zorah - Karasi 2022
A unique and complex wine aged in Armenian amphora with spices and black fruits.
Jasci - Trebbiano 2024
A textured and invigorating organic white with flavors of white fruits and yellow fruits!
Atamisque - Catalpa Chardonnay 2023
A fine and delicious Chardonnay with fine notes of stone fruits and fresh almonds, take note for lovers of Burgundy whites!
Wildeberg & JD Rossouw - The Capeography Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A clean and refreshing Sauvignon from the Elgin region
L.A. Cetto - Chenin Blanc 2022
A beautiful expression of tropical aromas to delight your aperitif!
Listening Station - Chardonnay 2021
A Chardonnay made with the tension and freshness of the fruit
San Marzano - Tramari Rosé di Primitivo 2022
An elegant rosé made from Primitivo, a grape variety from the Puglia region
Simonsig - Chenin Blanc 2021
An intense and mineral Chenin blanc from Stellenbosch
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.