511 pairings
Riesling
Pan-seared turbot with brown butter with G-Max Riesling: Stone fruit weight stands up to the meaty fish; smoky mineral notes echo the browned butter.
The short answer
Across 2,571 fish pairings on 2,220 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Riesling (511), Chardonnay (402), Albariño (177) and Pinot Noir (151). For example, G-Max Riesling from Rheinhessen with pan-seared turbot with brown butter: Stone fruit weight stands up to the meaty fish; smoky mineral notes echo the browned butter.
By style: white 1902, sparkling 363, red 122, rosé 112, fortified 38 of the 2,571 pairings.
The wines that turn up most: Wachau DAC, DO Rías Baixas, DOC Dão, Vinho Verde, VDP.Grosse Lage Mosel, DOC Vinho Verde.
The best grapes for fish
402 pairings
Chardonnay
Quenelle de brochet sauce Nantua with Montrachet Grand Cru: The dumpling's creamy crayfish sauce meets a taut white Burgundy that cuts the richness and lifts the shellfish.
177 pairings
Albariño
Caldeirada de peixe (Galician fisherman's stew) with Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas: The saffron-and-paprika broth and mixed white fish meet a lees-aged Albariño head-on: same sea, same body, same iron mineral edge.
151 pairings
Pinot Noir
Turbot with Louis Roederer Cristal: Honed minerality and concentration frame fine white fish.
93 pairings
Sauvignon Blanc
Grilled Mediterranean white fish with Lieben Aich Sauvignon Blanc: Lieben Aich's tropical fruit and wet stone minerality match firm Mediterranean fish; full body suits richer cuts.
89 pairings
Loureiro
Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa with Quinta do Ameal Loureiro: Stone fruit and mineral spine partner the salt-cod and egg gratin; high acidity refreshes the palate.
69 pairings
Xarel-lo
Cured swordfish with Casa Sala Gran Reserva: The wine's saline drive and structure match cured oily fish charcuterie.
68 pairings
Grenache
Grilled red mullet with Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose: Tempier rose's saline core and herb edge mirror the iodine sweetness of mullet; the wine cuts through olive-oil cookery.
Bottles to pour with fish
The best-rated pairings, one per producer and no more than two from any one region, so the list travels.
Pan-seared turbot with brown butter
Stone fruit weight stands up to the meaty fish; smoky mineral notes echo the browned butter.
Quenelle de brochet sauce Nantua
The dumpling's creamy crayfish sauce meets a taut white Burgundy that cuts the richness and lifts the shellfish.
Rack of lamb with anchovy and rosemary crust
The salt and mineral character in the wine finds an anchor in the anchovy-lamb combination.
Roast leg of lamb with anchovy and garlic
The wine's iron intensity and dark fruit meet the richest lamb preparations.
Roast turbot in beurre blanc
A rich grand-cru white carries the firm white fish and its buttery sauce without being overwhelmed.
Sicilian pantesca salad (Pantelleria) with tuna and capers
The saline-mineral dimension and bitter-orange notes of Vecchio Samperi pair uniquely with the island salad.
Sole bonne femme
Mushroom-shallot cream sauce meets the wine's lees creaminess and saline-mineral lift.
Turbot
Honed minerality and concentration frame fine white fish.
Turbot in beurre blanc
Crystalline acidity slices the butter; chalk mirrors the white fish.
Bacalao al pil pil
Salt cod in its emulsified oil meets the wine's waxy texture and saline lift.
Caldeirada de peixe (Galician fisherman's stew)
The saffron-and-paprika broth and mixed white fish meet a lees-aged Albariño head-on: same sea, same body, same iron mineral edge.
Grilled Adriatic sea bream
The stone-fruit and hazelnut register matches grilled white fish without covering it.
Taste the pairing: food and wine in Vinho Verde
Food and wine tastings you can book in Vinho Verde, one of the regions whose bottles our editors pour with fish.
Wine Tasting & Lunch | Quinta de Santa Cristina Vinho Verde
Join this activity for a unique experience in the Vinho Verde region! After learning about the different grapes and the winemaking process, enjoy a wine tasting follow...
Identity Tasting | Quinta de Santa Cristina Vinho Verde
Enjoy an amazing experience among wine and nature! Start with a walk through the vineyards where you can see the different grape varieties. Then, join a guided tour to...
From Porto: Wine Tour with Lunch & Tastings
Explore northern Portugal on a day trip from Porto. Visit a winery, enjoy a local lunch, discover ancient Roman ruins, and swim in a local river, if the weather allows.
Wine tastings and winery visits in Vinho Verde (16) · Food tours in Vinho Verde (6) · Wine tours and day trips in Vinho Verde (12) · All wine and food experiences
pairings by region
- Vinho Verde: 165 pairings, Vinho Verde food and wine pairing
- Wachau: 130 pairings, Wachau food and wine pairing
- Mosel: 119 pairings, Mosel food and wine pairing
- Rías Baixas: 103 pairings, Rías Baixas food and wine pairing
- Penedes: 101 pairings, Penedes food and wine pairing
- Rheingau: 101 pairings, Rheingau food and wine pairing
- Burgundy: 97 pairings, Burgundy food and wine pairing
- Dão: 95 pairings, Dão food and wine pairing
- Loire Valley: 92 pairings, Loire Valley food and wine pairing
- Franciacorta: 91 pairings, Franciacorta food and wine pairing
- Rheinhessen: 91 pairings, Rheinhessen food and wine pairing
- Sicily: 85 pairings, Sicily food and wine pairing
Wine with fish, FAQ
What wine goes with fish?
Across 2,571 fish pairings on 2,220 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Riesling (511), Chardonnay (402), Albariño (177) and Pinot Noir (151). For example, G-Max Riesling from Rheinhessen with pan-seared turbot with brown butter: Stone fruit weight stands up to the meaty fish; smoky mineral notes echo the browned butter.
Red or white wine with fish?
Most often white: of the 2,570 fish pairings, the split by style is white 74%, sparkling 14%, red 5% and rosé 4%. The bottles below show which of each work and why.
Which wine regions are best with fish?
The regions with the most fish pairings on our bottle pages are Vinho Verde, Wachau and Mosel.