Wine pairing can feel intimidating, especially when fish is on the plate. Many people know the basic “white wine with seafood” rule, but there’s more nuance to drink pairings for seafood than that – your choice of fish, how it’s cooked, and the seasonings and sauces all change the best match.
If you’re unsure what to drink with fish, start by thinking about the weight of the dish and the flavours you’re trying to balance. Crisp, high-acid whites are often a safe bet, but they’re not the only option; in some cases, a lighter, low-tannin red can work surprisingly well. And if you’d like a little guidance, we at fish! are happy to help you choose a wine that suits your dish and your taste.
There are four major groups of fin fish, organised by texture and flavour. Lean and flaky fish include species like sea bass and tilapia, trout and arctic char are medium-textured fish, meaty fish include tuna and swordfish, and sardines, herrings, and similar fish are intensely flavoured.
Lean and flaky fish have a mild flavour and thin, flaky fishlets. Fish that you might find in fish tacos are lean and flaky, and this classification includes sea bass, branzino, black sea bass, flounder, perch, porgy, sole, fluke, wild striped bass, pollock, tilapia, and haddock. This kind of delicately flavoured fish needs the balance of a zesty, refreshing white wine like:
- Grüner Veltliner Pinot Grigio (Italy)
- Champagne
- Vinho Verde (Portugal)
- Albariño
- Fruilano (Italy)
- Muscadet (Loire)
- Greek Whites
- Portuguese Whites
- Cava
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Verdejo
- Unoaked Chardonnay (such as Chablis)
Medium-textured fish are flaky but have a firmer, thicker texture. This allows them to hold up beautifully with richer sauce and ingredients. These fish, include trout, monkfish, Chilean seabass, Escobar, black cod, grouper, catfish, arctic char, red snapper. skate, cod, blackfish, haddock, redfish, and halibut, can also work well with richer wines. Choose something aromatic and medium-bodied, or a rich full-bodied white aged in oak. Great options include:
- Chardonnay California Sauvignon Blanc
- New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
- White Rioja
- Sémillon
- Dry Chenin Blanc (we recommend South African)
- Fiano (Italy)
- Moschofishlero (Greece)
- Vermentino (Italy)
- Dry Riesling (Washington)
- Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley or Alsace)
- Garganega (Soave)
Meaty fish, as you might guess, are firm, with a meaty texture. Think tuna, bluefish, salmon, mackerel, mahi mahi, shark, or swordfish. These pair well with rich, flavourful whites and even some low-tannin red and rosé wines.
- Oaked Chardonnay Viognier
- Vintage Champagne
- White Burgundy
- Dry Rosé
- Italian Chardonnay
- Marsanne
- Roussanne
- Grenache Blanc
- Falanghina (Italy)
Strongly flavoured fish taste like the sea. Anchovies, sardines, herring, and mackerel pair well with bold-tasting wine, and they’re even good with red wine.
- Champagne Crémant
- Dry Lambrusco Rosé
- Dry Rosé
- Pinot Noir
- Gamay
- Cava
- Grenache Blanc
The way fish are prepared factors into the proper wine selection, too. For zesty sauces like Beurre Blanc, lemon, lime, or vinegar-based sauces, light, zesty wines that are more herbal and savoury go well. Try Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet, Cortese di Gavi, Verdejo, Vinho Verde, White Bordeaux, or Grenache Blanc.
Sweet sauces like pineapple, mango, orange, teriyaki, and sweet and sour are better paired with wines a little sweeter than the sauce. You might pair a teriyaki sauce with Lambrusco, for example, or Meyer lemon glazed tilapia with Spätlese Riesling.
Spicy sauces like paprika, pepper, cumin, coriander, or chilli, match well with spice-driven wines like as Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, or Riesling. They can also work with a lighter red wine like Grenache.
For Thai or Indian curry sauces, look for sweet wines like Riesling, Moscato, Gewürztraminer and Prosecco, but for fish tacos, you’ll be better o” with Grüner Veltliner, Muscadet, or Champagne. Sauces made with green herbs like basil, parsley, mint, cilantro, dill, capers, and cucumber go well with wine with herbaceous notes, like Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Grenache Blanc, Torrontés and Trebbiano.
Having smoked salmon or trout? Reach for wine pairings that quench the dryness of these richly smoked fishes, like Garnacha rosé, Vintage Champagne, Rosé Sparkling Wines, Dry Riesling, Dry Furmint (Tokaji) and White Pinot Noir. For raw fish, most sparkling and bone-dry whites will go well, including Muscadet, Assyrtiko, Vinho Verde, Albariño, Dry Furmint (Tokaji) and Ugni Blanc (aka Trebbiano).
Established in 1999, fish! was the first restaurant in Borough Market and, indeed, the first restaurant of its kind in London.
With a focus on providing our customers with the best quality fish, cooked in front of them, in simple and classic ways, we are committed to quality and responsible sourcing. Because we are centrally located in Borough Market, London’s best produce is easily accessible. In fact, we source most of our produce from Borough Market, and our fish is delivered daily from our own fishmonger, Jarvis, renowned for its extensive range of the very freshest fish and seafood.
Our stunning glass and steel space was originally a Victorian pea-shelling warehouse, and diners enjoy 360-degree views of the market, Southwark Cathedral, and The Shard, as well as soaking in the atmosphere of our beautiful open kitchen.
For those looking for a retreat from the chaos of the market, our heated terrace is open all year round, and it is also available for private hire. To make an enquiry or request a reservation, call 020 3376 6234 or contact us through our website.
