46 pairings
Albariño
Polvo a lagareiro with Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Alvarinho: The wine's saline citrus drive and granite minerality lift the olive-oil-roasted octopus without flattening the smoky char.
The short answer
Across 113 octopus pairings on 113 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Albariño (46), Loureiro (15), Assyrtiko (12) and Tempranillo (9). For example, Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Alvarinho from Vinho Verde with polvo a lagareiro: The wine's saline citrus drive and granite minerality lift the olive-oil-roasted octopus without flattening the smoky char.
By style: white 81, rosé 10, red 9, orange 6, sparkling 5 of the 113 pairings.
The wines that turn up most: DO Rías Baixas, PDO Santorini, DOC Vinho Verde, DOC Vinho Verde - Monção e Melgaço, DOC Alentejo, Vinho de Talha, Vinho Verde.
The best grapes for octopus
15 pairings
Loureiro
Polvo a lagareiro with Aphros Loureiro: Bay-leaf aromatics and saline citrus drive partner the olive-oil-roasted octopus; the high-acid frame cuts the oil.
12 pairings
Assyrtiko
Grilled octopus with Gaia Thalassitis Assyrtiko: Salt-and-citrus tension cuts through charred tentacle.
9 pairings
Tempranillo
Grilled octopus with Esporão Vinho de Talha Tinto: The wine's freshness and light tannin work with charred seafood.
8 pairings
Trincadeira
Grilled octopus with Amphora Tinto: Freshness and light tannin work with charred seafood.
6 pairings
Arinto
Polvo a lagareiro with Constantino Ramos Afluente: Bay-leaf aromatics and lees weight partner olive-oil-roasted octopus; mineral close picks up the seasoning.
5 pairings
Macabeo
Grilled octopus with MVSA Brut Nature Gran Reserva: Saline minerality and creamy mousse match pulpo a la gallega's pimenton.
5 pairings
Parellada
Grilled octopus with Gran Reserva Brut Nature: Saline minerality and creamy mousse match pulpo a la gallega.
Bottles to pour with octopus
The best-rated pairings, one per producer and no more than two from any one region, so the list travels.
Grilled octopus
Salt-and-citrus tension cuts through charred tentacle.
Grilled octopus with lemon and olive oil
The wine's phenolic grip and salinity echo the char and brine of the octopus.
Polvo a lagareiro
The wine's saline citrus drive and granite minerality lift the olive-oil-roasted octopus without flattening the smoky char.
Polvo assado
Roasted octopus with smoked paprika needs Alvarinho's saline minerality and lees weight; the salted granite close picks up the seasoning.
Pulpo a feira (Galician boiled octopus with paprika)
Stone-fruit lift cuts the smoky pimentón dust and the wine's citrus core lifts the olive-oil-slicked tentacle.
Slow-cooked octopus with smoked paprika
Smoky octopus meets the wine's oxidative depth; saline core matches the cephalopod's iodine sweetness.
Boiled chickpea-and-octopus stew
Mineral broth meets pulse and tentacle in a classic island combination.
Grilled octopus with capers
The wine's volcanic depth and saline character are a natural match for char-grilled octopus.
Pulpo a la gallega
Galician-style octopus with paprika and olive oil is a natural match for aged Manzanilla.
Grilled octopus with chickpeas
The smoky charred octopus meets the rose's herb and salt; chickpeas anchor the wine's structure.
Grilled octopus with paprika oil
Skin-contact grip and smoke handle charred octopus better than a conventional white.
Grilled octopus with pimentón
High acidity handles smoked paprika and olive oil.
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 octopus.
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: 33 pairings, Vinho Verde food and wine pairing
- Rías Baixas: 26 pairings, Rías Baixas food and wine pairing
- Santorini: 12 pairings, Santorini food and wine pairing
- Alentejo: 11 pairings, Alentejo food and wine pairing
- Dão: 7 pairings, Dão food and wine pairing
- Penedes: 5 pairings, Penedes food and wine pairing
- Sicily: 5 pairings, Sicily food and wine pairing
- Bierzo: 3 pairings, Bierzo food and wine pairing
- Provence: 3 pairings, Provence food and wine pairing
- Abruzzo: 2 pairings, Abruzzo food and wine pairing
- Friuli-Venezia Giulia: 2 pairings, Friuli-Venezia Giulia food and wine pairing
- Jerez & Sherry: 2 pairings, Jerez & Sherry food and wine pairing
Wine with octopus, FAQ
What wine goes with octopus?
Across 113 octopus pairings on 113 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Albariño (46), Loureiro (15), Assyrtiko (12) and Tempranillo (9). For example, Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Alvarinho from Vinho Verde with polvo a lagareiro: The wine's saline citrus drive and granite minerality lift the olive-oil-roasted octopus without flattening the smoky char.
Red or white wine with octopus?
Most often white: of the 113 octopus pairings, the split by style is white 72%, rosé 9%, red 8% and orange 5%. The bottles below show which of each work and why.
Which wine regions are best with octopus?
The regions with the most octopus pairings on our bottle pages are Vinho Verde, Rías Baixas and Santorini.