12 pairings
Pinot Noir
Seared tuna with Krug Rose: The wine's spice and red-fruit grip stand up to seared fish.
The short answer
Across 56 tuna pairings on 56 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Pinot Noir (12), Chardonnay (7), Grenache (7) and Cinsault (5). For example, Krug Rose from Champagne with seared tuna: The wine's spice and red-fruit grip stand up to seared fish.
By style: sparkling 18, red 13, white 10, rosé 8, fortified 6 of the 56 pairings.
The wines that turn up most: DO Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda, DOC Dão, Corpinnat, AOC Champagne, DO Bierzo, Vittoria.
The best grapes for tuna
7 pairings
Chardonnay
Seared tuna tartare with Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose: Saline freshness and red fruit meet raw fish.
7 pairings
Grenache
Grilled tuna with tapenade with Chateau Simone Palette Rose: The rose's pink-grapefruit lift cuts through the olive paste, and Mourvedre tannin frames the dense tuna fat.
5 pairings
Cinsault
Grilled tuna with tapenade with Domaine Hauvette Amethyste Rose: Pink-grapefruit and almond palate cut through olive paste; structure frames the tuna fat.
5 pairings
Mourvedre
Grilled tuna with herbs with Intens Rosat Brut Nature: Rose Cava from Mediterranean reds matches grilled oily fish; the Brut Nature dry edge cuts the richness.
5 pairings
Frappato
Tuna carpaccio with capers with Occhipinti Il Frappato: Frappato's delicate red fruit and mineral acidity complement raw tuna.
5 pairings
Palomino Fino
Mojama (air-dried tuna) with La Bota de Manzanilla: The intensity of salt-cured tuna finds a saline peer in single-cask Manzanilla.
4 pairings
Pinot Meunier
Tuna tartare with Rose de Noirs: Savoury red fruit gives weight without tannin.
Bottles to pour with tuna
The best-rated pairings, one per producer and no more than two from any one region, so the list travels.
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.
Mojama (air-dried tuna)
The intensity of salt-cured tuna finds a saline peer in single-cask Manzanilla.
Seared tuna
The wine's spice and red-fruit grip stand up to seared fish.
Seared tuna tartare
Saline freshness and red fruit meet raw fish.
Grilled tuna
The producer names grilled tuna, and the oxidative almond note suits a meaty fish.
Grilled tuna with capers and olives
The wine's bright acidity and iron notes pair beautifully with meaty tuna.
Grilled tuna with herbs
Rose Cava from Mediterranean reds matches grilled oily fish; the Brut Nature dry edge cuts the richness.
Pan-seared tuna
Saline-iodine register suits the meaty fish; tropical fruit echoes seared crust.
Tuna tartare
Red-fruit lift and phenolic close partner raw tuna; saline edge balances the fish.
Grilled tuna with tapenade
The rose's pink-grapefruit lift cuts through the olive paste, and Mourvedre tannin frames the dense tuna fat.
Raw red tuna
Austere, zero-dosage Pinot Nero cuts through oily raw fish.
Seared tuna with black sesame and soy
The wine's nutty-mineral depth and weight complement the umami richness of seared tuna.
Taste the pairing: food and wine in Sicily
Food and wine tastings you can book in Sicily, one of the regions whose bottles our editors pour with tuna.
Palermo: Wine Tasting with Snacks at Bottega Monteleone
Experience 5 hand-picked Sicilian wines in a cozy wine bar in the heart of Palermo. Pair each wine with typical antipasti and commentary on the locally-produced wine.
Palermo: 2-Hour Sicilian Cheese and Wine Tasting Tour
Immerse yourself in the native Sicilian cheeses and wines on this 2-hour tasting tour in Palermo. Step inside a beautiful 16th century home to sample 6 wines and 6 che...
Palermo Food Tour: 10+ Tastings of Arancini, Cannoli, Wine & More
On our Secret Food Tour: Palermo, you'll explore the best known sights in Palermo as well as some secret hidden gems providing a local's perspective on our food cultur...
Food and wine tastings in Sicily (38) · Wine tastings and winery visits in Sicily (51) · Cooking classes in Sicily (173) · Food tours in Sicily (114) · Olive oil tastings and mill visits in Sicily (15) · Wine tours and day trips in Sicily (44) · All wine and food experiences
pairings by region
- Sicily: 11 pairings, Sicily food and wine pairing
- Penedes: 6 pairings, Penedes food and wine pairing
- Jerez & Sherry: 5 pairings, Jerez & Sherry food and wine pairing
- Dão: 4 pairings, Dão food and wine pairing
- Provence: 4 pairings, Provence food and wine pairing
- Bierzo: 3 pairings, Bierzo food and wine pairing
- Champagne: 3 pairings, Champagne food and wine pairing
- Sussex: 3 pairings, Sussex food and wine pairing
- Veneto: 3 pairings, Veneto food and wine pairing
- Vinho Verde: 2 pairings, Vinho Verde food and wine pairing
- Alentejo: 1 pairing, Alentejo food and wine pairing
- Brda: 1 pairing, Brda food and wine pairing
Wine with tuna, FAQ
What wine goes with tuna?
Across 56 tuna pairings on 56 of our bottle pages, the grapes our editors pour most often are Pinot Noir (12), Chardonnay (7), Grenache (7) and Cinsault (5). For example, Krug Rose from Champagne with seared tuna: The wine's spice and red-fruit grip stand up to seared fish.
Red or white wine with tuna?
Most often sparkling: of the 56 tuna pairings, the split by style is sparkling 32%, red 23%, white 18% and rosé 14%. The bottles below show which of each work and why.
Which wine regions are best with tuna?
The regions with the most tuna pairings on our bottle pages are Sicily, Penedes and Jerez & Sherry.