What wine goes with salmon and oily fish: white or red?
99 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.
Maverick - Twins Barossa Semillon 2018
A Sémillon from the Barossa Valley with a smoky nose, fresh and broad, between candied lemon, liquorice and herbes de Provence.
Pisano - Río de los Pájaros Pinot Noir 2021
A fresh, silky Uruguayan Pinot Noir, between raspberry, wild violet and a touch of incense.
Pisano - Cisplatino Torrontés 2025
A Uruguayan Torrontés chiselled by Atlantic breezes, floral and lively, with a delicately saline finish.
De Martino - Legado Chardonnay 2022
A coastal Chardonnay from the Limarí Valley, grown on limestone soils, creamy and saline.
Altos las Hormigas - Malbec Clásico 2023
A lively, juicy Malbec from Mendoza, made from organic grapes from Luján de Cuyo and Paraje Altamira.
Altos las Hormigas - Blanco 2025
A high-altitude white from the Uco Valley, from old pergola-trained vines, juicy, textured and fresh.
Altos las Hormigas - Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda 2023
An organic Bonarda from Mendoza, juicy and round, between black cherry, olive and pink peppercorn.
Altos las Hormigas - Burbujas de los Andes Brut Rosé
A high-altitude sparkling rosé from the Uco Valley, a traditional-method Bonarda, delicate and lively.
Hartenberg - Chardonnay 2022
A creamy Chardonnay from Stellenbosch, aged ten months in French barrels, between peach and toasted brioche.
Giannikos Winery - Swan 2025
An organic Agiorgitiko rosé, expressive and vinous, with hints of strawberry, orange and lavender.
Barbeito - Duas Pipas Reserva (med dry)
An extremely rare medium-dry Madeira, born of two casks of Bastardo, creamy, deep and vibrant.
Giacomo Fenocchio - Roero Arneis 2025
A Roero Arneis from Monteu Roero, sapid and floral, with hints of broom and chamomile.
Borgogno - Era Ora Riesling 2024
An organic high-altitude Riesling, perched at 500 metres above Alba, taut and mineral.
Agriverde - Riseis Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2025
An organic Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo with a ruby colour, juicy and vibrant, born between the Adriatic and the Majella.
Terroir Al Limit - Terroir Històric Negre 2023
A red from the historic villages of Priorat, juicy and vibrant, with the smoky minerality of llicorella.
Ladeiras Do Xil - Gaba do Xil Mencía 2021
A Mencía from the slate and granite terraces of Valdeorras, spicy, juicy and thirst-quenching.
Huber - Grüner Veltliner Reichersdorf Alte Reben 2025
An old-vine Grüner Veltliner from the Traisental, fresh, fruity and chalky, with lovely tension.
Huber - Layla Rosé Sans Alcool
A sparkling alcohol-free rosé from Austria, floral and saline, with fine bubbles and a chalky finish.
Koehler Ruprecht - Spätburgunder Kabinett Trocken 2024
A light, vibrant Pinot Noir from the Pfalz, with notes of cherry and spice over the freshness of limestone.
Koehler Ruprecht - Pinot Noir Spätlese 2024
An elegant, taut Pinot Noir from Kallstadt, where cherry and spice rest on limestone.
Dr Loosen - Dr L Riesling Feinherb 2024
A medium-dry Mosel Riesling, lively and fruity, carried by the saline freshness of the slate slopes.
Artesanos del Cochiguaz - Pisco Artesanal
An artisanal pisco from the upper Elqui Valley, rested in wood, with intense, warming fruit.
Noguchi Naohiko Institute - Classic Edition Yamahai 2018
A yamahai from master brewer Noguchi Naohiko, brewed at the foot of Mount Hakusan, fresh and full of umami.
Mount Pleasant - Lovedale Semillon 2018
The Semillon from the Lovedale vineyard planted in 1946, matured in bottle, rich and of rare length.
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.