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.
Mount Pleasant - Estate Grown Semillon 2022
A Semillon from the Hunter Valley, light and lively, from Mount Pleasant's historic vineyards.
Blandy's - Vintage Sercial 1990
An ethereal, dry 1990 Sercial, aged more than thirty years in canteiro, between bitter orange and walnut.
Blandy's - Colheita Sercial 2010
A dry, lemony colheita with notes of candied citrus and saffron, bottled in 2023.
Blandy's - Sercial 10 ans
A dry, lively Madeira, a blend with an average age of ten years, with notes of candied citrus and almond.
Antonio Madeira - Branco 2023
A white from the Dão led by Encruzado, fresh and saline, with notes of yellow fruit and flowers.
Niepoort - Tiara 2023
A granite-grown white at 600 metres in the Douro, chiselled, herbal and remarkably pure.
Castellucci Miano - Shiarà Catarratto 2020
A high-altitude catarratto from the Contea di Sclafani, lively, saline and scented with citrus.
Zoltan Demeter - Kakas Furmint 2023
A dry Furmint from the Kakas cru, on the rhyolites of Bodrogkeresztúr, delicate, mineral and elegant.
Hammeken Cellars - Gran Castillo Rocío Brut Rosé
A salmon-pink rosé cava, made by the traditional method, lively and bursting with red fruit.
Barco Del Corneta - Prapetisco 2014
Juan García from Fermoselle, on the granites of the Arribes: a juicy, peppery and fresh red.
Moric - Sankt Georgen Grüner Veltliner 2021
A Grüner Veltliner from limestone and schist, dense and vibrant, born at the foot of the Leithagebirge.
Zorah - Voski 2023
An Armenian white from ungrafted vines at 1,400 metres, lively and floral, aged in raw concrete tanks.
Van Volxem - Scharzhofberger Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2022
A Riesling Grosses Gewächs from the legendary Scharzhofberger, chiselled, saline and of great finesse.
Wittmann - Westhofen Kirchspiel Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2024
A Riesling Grosses Gewächs from Westhofen, fresh and chalky, farmed biodynamically on limestone marls.
Van Volxem - Wiltinger Riesling 2022
A dry Riesling from the Saar, smoky and saline, born on the volcanic slate of the Wiltingen slopes.
Occidental - Bodega Headlands Vineyard Cuvée Elizabeth Pinot Noir 2022
Occidental's Cuvée Elizabeth, a floral, mineral coastal Pinot Noir of great delicacy.
Occidental - Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023
A Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir shaped by the ocean, taut, saline and full of energy.
Cono Sur - 20 Barrels Pinot Noir 2021
Cono Sur's top-of-the-range coastal Pinot Noir, juicy, spicy and aged for fourteen months.
Cono Sur - Bicicleta Chardonnay 2025
An unoaked Chilean Chardonnay, fresh and vibrant, between citrus, white peach and pineapple.
Santa Rita - Floresta Chardonnay 2022
A Chardonnay from Limarí on limestone soils, creamy and saline, between citrus, exotic fruit and hazelnut.
DuMOL - Wester Reach Pinot Noir 2023
A Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, fragrant and energetic, between cherry, wild blackberry and spice.
Sonoma-Cutrer - Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022
A Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, all finesse, between red fruit, spice and black tea.
Kosta Browne - Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2022
A Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills, between bramble flowers, strawberry and spice, with an elegant structure.
Kosta Browne - Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022
A Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, rich in black fruit and enlivened by lovely freshness.
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.