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.
Ritual - Pinot Noir 2019
A vintage full of elegance and extreme finesse that we know from Burgundy Pinot Noirs.
Panos Sarris - Panochori Vieilles Vignes 2023
Robola, the other great white grape variety of the Greek islands
Vesevo - Greco di Tufo 2024
A vintage marked by tension and minerality, typical of Tufo wines
Matías Riccitelli - Old Vine From Patagonia Sémillon 2023
A great Sémillon from Patagonia!
Veramonte - Chardonnay 2023
Vinified naturally, this is an exotic, smooth and fresh Chardonnay.
Fuerza Natural - Sémillon 2021
A fresh and vibrant Sémillon from southern Chile, aged in century-old amphorae
Equinox Wines - Find Your Happy Place Red 2022
A red blend made in South Africa, in a natural and digestible style
Greywacke - Wild Sauvignon Blanc 2021
A Sauvignon Blanc out of the ordinary, complex and tasty
Cruchon - Coteaux de Trumao Pinot Noir 2021
An intense and vibrant Pinot Noir from Chilean Patagonia
Descendientes de J. Palacios - Petalos 2021
A vintage full of energy and vitality, round and juicy at the same time, which makes it a reference in Spain.
Magpie Estate - The Last Stand Chardonnay 2023
A lively and lively Chardonnay from South Australia!
False Bay - Crystalline Chardonnay 2022
A vintage full of life made Biodynamically!
San Marzano - Amai Susumaniello Rosato 2025
An elegant and refreshing rosé made from Susumaniello, a rare grape variety from Puglia.
Château Sainte Michelle - Dry Riesling 2020
A Riesling with intense flavors from Washington State
Domaine de Tournon - Mathilda blanc 2019
A Viognier and Marsanne blend, aromatic, fresh and crunchy
Valenciso - Valenciso Blanco 2021
A wine combining texture, balance, minerality and elegance.
Groot Constantia - Chardonnay 2021
A great Chardonnay regularly rewarded by international competitions
Thistle & Weed - Brandnetel 2022
The 2nd Chenin of the estate, from a single plot in Stellenbosch
Alheit Vineyards - Cartology 2019
A high-class, elegant and distinguished white wine.
David & Nadia - Red From Mountain Soils 2019
A duo between Cinsault and Grenache with a spicy and juicy profile
Winzer von Erbach - Erbacher Michelmark Riesling Spätlese 2015
A dry and distinguished Riesling from the Rheingau, made from grapes picked at a late harvest
Catena - Alta Chardonnay 2020
A generous and complex Chardonnay, from high vineyards in Argentina
NZ WINERIES & Samantha Bailey - Cloud Factory Pinot Noir 2020
A fresh and delicious Pinot Noir, grown near the coastal areas of New Zealand
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.