Say you plan to bake heart-healthy sockeye with an everything spice crust or broil coho with a miso-maple sauce and want to pair your delicious dish with the perfect vino. So what wine pairs well with salmon? Of course, the best wine to go with salmon is the one you like, but beyond your preferences, you can follow these guidelines to take your salmon wine pairing to the next level.
What Wine Pairs With Salmon?
A good rule of thumb is to choose wines from regions where seafood is central to the cuisine. For example, many preparations of salmon pair beautifully with a young vinho verde from Portugal, since the country's cuisine is so seafood-forward no matter where you are. Similarly, Marlborough, New Zealand, known for vibrant sauvignon blancs, and the Pacific Northwest's Oregon and Washington, renowned for excellent pinot noir and pinot gris, offer wines that beautifully complement seafood. White wines from these regions are a safe bet to pair with salmon dishes, but don't feel limited by those locales — salmon generally pairs well with all full-bodied white wines.
Wild salmon is fatty and toothsome, so it can also stand up to light- and medium-bodied red wines with low tannins. If the salmon dish has a sweet and savory sticky glaze like teriyaki salmon, all the better. Avoid red wines that are high in tannins, as they can make any species of fish taste metallic.
White Wine With Salmon
Chardonnay
For classic salmon dishes with fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic, go for an unoaked chardonnay. A robust, floral and fruity California chardonnay is a great choice. French chardonnay is less fruit-forward but still works.
Sauvignon Blanc
Refreshing sauvignon blanc, often from France, New Zealand, Italy, California, and Chile, cleanses your palate between bites of rich salmon. Its acidity cuts the fat, and the citrus flavors complement most salmon dishes, especially ones prepared with lemon and herbs.
Pinot Grigio
Light, crisp, and highly acidic pinot grigio — also called pinot gris — is a versatile white wine with lemon, lime, and Granny Smith apple notes. It's a good wine for salmon because it's not overwhelming. Instead, it enhances the salmon's natural buttery, slightly sweet flavors.
Red Wine With Salmon
Grenache
Grenache is a red wine grape variety that produces light- to medium-bodied wines with red fruit flavors and subtle spice notes like cinnamon and pepper. Its gentle flavor and low tannins go nicely with grilled or lightly seasoned salmon. Grenache is grown around the world, particularly in Australia, the United States, Italy, and its original home, Spain.
Beaujolais
Beaujolais is a red wine from France made with the gamay grape. It's light-bodied with fruity flavors like cherry and raspberry and has a bright acidity. It's a good match for all kinds of salmon dishes, including grilled, baked, and smoked.
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is an earthy, floral red wine (sometimes it's rosé) with flavors of red fruits like cherries and berries. This light- to medium-bodied wine pairs well with salmon whether it's from Burgundy, California, New Zealand, or somewhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pairing Wine With Salmon
Can you drink red wine with salmon?
You can absolutely drink red wine with salmon. The pervasive idea that you can't is a myth and one you should definitely debunk. The biggest thing to remember is you should avoid tannic red wines because they typically don't pair well with seafood.
What drink goes best with salmon?
Ultimately, the best drink to pair with salmon depends on personal taste and the dish's preparation. But here are a few tips for drink pairings: Bold, hearty grilled or smoked wild salmon can hold up to robust beers like saisons and amber ales; delicate steamed salmon goes nicely with a classic gin or vodka martini; and you can't go wrong with a sweet mint lemonade if you prefer something nonalcoholic.
Does white or red wine go with smoked salmon?
Both white and red wines can go well with smoked salmon, but a dry white wine is best. However, a light red wine like Beaujolais from France can also be a good choice.
Does rosé go with salmon?
Light, fruity, and acidic rosés work with salmon, especially if it's grilled or smoked and served in the hazy lazy days of summer. However, rosé from the famous Côtes de Provence region might be too light. Look for a darker pink rosé for more flavor.
Basics to Pairing Wine With Salmon
When in doubt, pair the wine with the specific flavors of a dish. For example, citrusy sauvignon blancs go with lemony salmon dishes, and buttery chardonnay is beautiful with a salmon piccata since it's a butter-based sauce.
