What wine goes with white meat? Chardonnay, Chenin or Pinot Noir
927 wines to serve with white meatWith white meat, serve a full-bodied white such as Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc, or a light, fruity red such as Pinot Noir. The sauce guides the choice: cream and mushrooms point to white, roasting juices and golden skin to red.
Poultry, veal and pork share tender, delicate meat. Our selection brings together Chenins from South Africa, Chardonnays from Burgundy, Rieslings, Pinot Noirs from all over the world and a few sakes for Asian-inspired recipes.
Birichino - Besson Grenache 2023
A captivating wine from century-old Grenache vines.
Quinta de la Rosa - La Rosa 2022
A rich, long and complex Douro wine
Tarapacá - Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2024
A Chardonnay produced 12km from the Pacific Ocean
Niepoort - Redoma Branco 2025
Intense, mineral and precise, this white offers all the guarantees of a great vintage.
Barco Del Corneta - Barco Del Corneta Verdejo 2022
A wine full of talent filtered by minimalism and the pure expression of the terroir.
Crystallum - Peter Max 2024
A wonderfully elegant and fragrant Pinot noir.
Cousiño Macul - Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
An elegant Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon with intense notes of black fruits and spices.
Crystallum - The Agnes 2024
A pure, elegant and balanced Chardonnay which once again demonstrates the great class of South African wines.
Birichino - Bechthold Cinsault 2023
A red with captivating aromas from old Cinsault vines over 130 years old!
Quinta de la Rosa - DouRosa 2023
A beautiful red wine from the Douro: complex, fresh and voluptuous at the same time.
Acústic Celler - Braó 2019
Complexity, richness and elegance in this magnificent Catalan vintage.
Palacios Remondo - La Montesa 2022
A magnificently ripe Grenache, a round, juicy and pulpy mouthfeel with supple and delicate tannins.
Descendientes de J. Palacios - Petalos 2023
A vintage full of energy and vitality, round and juicy at the same time, which makes it a reference in Spain.
Ata Rangi - Crimson Pinot Noir 2022
An elegant New Zealand Pinot Noir, seductive with its balance between fruit, structure and finesse
Palacios Remondo - La Vendimia 2023
A Rioja wine with plenty of drinkability and deliciousness to guarantee immediate pleasure.
Atamisque - Serbal Viognier 2025
A beautiful high-altitude Viognier full of freshness and deliciousness!
Birichino - Scylla 2023
Concentrated red fruits, a pale color, finesse and complexity.
Giribaldi - Barbera Alma 2019
A delicious and juicy red wine made from Barbera, an astonishing grape variety!
La Famille K - Le Père Blanc 2018
La Famille K - Le Père Rouge 2018
A Beaujolais from century-old vines combining structure and delicacy
Poeira - Po de Poeira 2019
A surprising Douro red wine combining finesse and elegance.
Rafael Palacios - Louro 2024
A wonderfully crafted expression of the Godello grape: ripe, elegant, balanced and refreshing.
Crystallum - Cuvée Cinéma 2024
A haute couture Pinot Noir, with exceptional aromatic concentration rivaling the great wines of Burgundy.
Ritual - Alcaparral Block Syrah 2018
A high-end syrah with complex aromas of black fruits and spices.
Which wine for which white meat and sauce?
Here, the sauce matters more than the meat. Find your recipe and let us guide you.
| Dish | Wines to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Roast chicken free-range chicken, guinea fowl, capon | Pinot Noir, Burgundy Chardonnay | Golden skin and roasting juices love red fruit as much as the roundness of Chardonnay. |
| Blanquette de veau blanquette, chicken in cream sauce | Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc | Cream calls for a full-bodied white, and the liveliness of Chenin brings lightness to the sauce. |
| Roast pork roast, pork tenderloin with prunes | Riesling, Pinot Noir, light Grenache | Mild, slightly sweet meat goes well with fruit and freshness. |
| Veal escalope piccata with lemon, saltimbocca | Falanghina, lively Italian white | Lemon and sage find an echo in a saline, crisp white. |
| Poultry with morels chicken with morels, chicken supreme with vin jaune | Barrel-aged Chardonnay, dry Tokaji Furmint | Forest floor notes answer the oak and richness of the white. |
| Spiced chicken chicken tikka, yakitori, lemongrass chicken | Riesling, Torrontés, sake | Floral aromas and freshness soothe the spices and go with sweet and savoury sauces. |
| Ribs and glazed pork barbecue ribs, caramel pork | Zinfandel, fruity Syrah | A sweet glaze loves a generous red with ripe fruit and soft tannins. |
With the same dish, a white highlights the tenderness of the meat, while a light red brings out the cooking juices.
Pinot Noir, the bridge between white and red
Pinot Noir is the most versatile red for white meat. Its fine tannins and cherry fruit go as well with a roast chicken as with a pork tenderloin, and it is served slightly cool, at around 14 °C. In Burgundy it gains forest floor notes; in New Zealand or California it offers brighter fruit that pleases the whole table.
For white wine, look to South Africa. Cape Chenin Blanc combines the roundness of a sun-ripened wine with vibrant acidity, ideal with a cream sauce. For an escalope with lemon, the Falanghina from Vesevo, in Campania, brings citrus notes and a saline finish. And for poultry with morels, a barrel-aged Chardonnay remains a classic that is hard to beat.
Three pairings to try
Sunday roast chicken and Pinot Noir. The cooking juices and red fruit make a comforting duo.
Blanquette and Cape Chenin. The tension of Chenin balances the richness of the sauce.
Yakitori and sake. A shared umami note, for a surprisingly precise pairing.
The Wine Wanderer Team
Your questions about wine and white meat
What wine goes with roast chicken?
With a roast chicken, serve a light Pinot Noir or a full-bodied Chardonnay. The red goes with the crispy skin and the juices, the white highlights the tender meat. A fruity Grenache also suits poultry with herbes de Provence. Find all our advice in the guide what wine goes with roast chicken.
White or red wine with white meat?
Both work with white meat: it all depends on the sauce. A cream or butter recipe calls for a round white such as Chardonnay; a roast with its juices or grilled poultry happily takes a light, low-tannin red such as Pinot Noir. A rosé with character is also a lovely summer option.
What wine goes with blanquette de veau?
For a blanquette de veau, choose a full-bodied, fresh white: Burgundy Chardonnay or South African Chenin Blanc. The cream and lemon in the sauce call for both roundness and liveliness. We go into the best pairings in our article on blanquette de veau.
What wine goes with roast pork?
With roast pork, serve an off-dry Riesling or a fruity red such as Pinot Noir. The mild meat of pork loves fruit and freshness. For a pork tenderloin with prunes, a generous Grenache brings a candied note that extends the garnish.
What red wine goes with white meat?
With white meat, choose a light red with supple tannins: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cinsault or a lightly extracted Grenache. Served at around 14 °C, these wines go with poultry, veal and pork while respecting their delicacy. The Rouge Cinsault from Dorrance, in South Africa, is a fine example of this style.
At what temperature should wine be served with white meat?
Serve a full-bodied white between 11 and 13 °C and a light red at around 14 °C. A Chardonnay that is too cold loses its aromas, while a slightly chilled Pinot Noir gains brightness. Take whites out of the fridge twenty minutes before serving.