Salmon is one of my favorite fish to cook, and it’s on our dinner table most weeks - pan-seared, grilled, baked, air-fried, topped with mushrooms, or served with pesto pasta. Over the years I’ve had the chance to test dozens of different wines with it, and salmon turns out to be a very versatile fish when it comes to wine pairings.
We go for white wine with pesto on the plate.
People often assume white wine is the only way to go with fish. Salmon pairings show that’s not the whole story. A good Pinot Noir with mushroom-topped salmon is one of my favorite combinations at the dinner table - while a full-bodied white can be equally satisfying alongside a pesto preparation. What drives the choice is how you’re serving the salmon: what’s on top of it, and to some extent, what’s alongside it.
Read on for the full breakdown, or jump to the quick answer below if you’re in a hurry.
Jump to:
- Best Wine with Salmon: Quick Answer
- Red or White Wine with Salmon? It Depends on How You’re Serving It
- Red Wine with Salmon
- White Wine with Salmon
- Best Wine with Simply Prepared Salmon
- Salmon and Asparagus Wine Pairing
- Wine with Salmon and Pesto
- Wine with Salmon and Mushrooms
- More Salmon and Wine Pairing Resources
Best Wine with Salmon: Quick Answer
Pinot Noir and a full-bodied dry white wine - think Chardonnay or a White Rhône - are the most reliable choices for pairing with salmon. That said, what’s on the plate matters more than the cooking method. Mushroom-topped salmon tends to work better with a medium-bodied red, while pesto and herb preparations generally call for a substantial white. For simply prepared salmon, either direction can work well.
Red or White Wine with Salmon? It Depends on How You’re Serving It
The most common question I hear about salmon and wine is whether to go red or white. Both can work, and the choice has less to do with how you cooked the fish and more to do with what’s on it.
I bake, pan-sear, grill, and air-fry salmon regularly. In each case, the wine I reach for is driven by the toppings and flavors on the plate. Mushrooms on the salmon? I’m opening a Pinot Noir. Kale pesto with pasta on the side? I’m going white.
The sections below break it down by preparation, with wines I’ve actually tested and liked.
Red Wine with Salmon
Salmon is substantial enough to hold up to a light to medium-bodied red wine, especially when you’re working with earthier preparations. Here’s what works well - and what to avoid.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is my go-to red with salmon. The earthiness of a good Pinot matches the richness of the fish without overpowering it, and when you add mushrooms to the plate, the pairing gets even better. I’ve come back to this salmon and Pinot combination many times, served with many different preparations and it always pleases.
Oregon Pinot Noir is a natural match, especially if you’re using wild Pacific salmon. Burgundy, Sonoma Coast, and other cool-climate Pinots all work well too. Look for something on the lighter, more elegant side rather than a higher alcohol, very fruity Pinot.
For recipes and specific bottle suggestions, see our Salmon with Mushrooms, Grilled Salmon with Mushroom Sauce, and Salmon Farro and Mushrooms posts.
Merlot
For a number of years, I’ve joined other wine bloggers in observing October as “MerlotMe” month, and have come to appreciate Merlot as a versatile wine for a variety of food pairings. Along the way, I discovered that a medium-bodied Merlot can be a solid alternative to Pinot, particularly with mushroom preparations. It has enough fruit to complement the salmon while keeping tannins manageable. Washington state Merlot has worked especially well for us here - see the Salmon with Mushrooms post for more detail.
Note that I’d say away from Merlot made with a lot of oak, or trending toward a Bordeaux-style blend.
Grignolino and other light reds
If you want something more off the beaten path, Grignolino is a good one I tried recently. This northern Italian red is lighter-bodied with lower tannins and a distinctive savory quality that works especially well with wild mushrooms.
I recently paired the 2023 Agostino Pavia & Figli Grignolino d’Asti Grignolino d’Asti ($18, 12.5% ABV) with salmon and a mix of local wild mushrooms over farro. This was an excellent pairing, and the wine is a tremendous value for the price. I first tried it via the Berman’s wine club – and as of this writing, they still have it available, if you happen to be in the Lexington, MA area.
While I’m waxing enthusiastically about the Grignolino, this is one example of a broader category that can work with salmon. I’d encourage you to experiment with other lighter red wines with salmon, too. They often benefit from a little chill, and can be especially enjoyable in the summertime.
Southern French Reds
A lighter-style Southern French red blend can also work well in the mushroom context. The key is staying away from anything too tannic or overpowering. See our Salmon with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce post for more on this direction. I’m also thinking some of the Grenache blends I enjoyed while visiting Banyuls-sur-Mer could be worth exploring with salmon - the lighter style seems like it would translate well.
A note on tannins
Whatever red you choose, keep the tannins in check. A big, oaky Cabernet Sauvignon is going to overwhelm the fish. If you have a favorite steak wine, it’s not likely to cross-over well to salmon. Medium-bodied and lower-tannin is the profile to look for across all of these options.
White Wine with Salmon
White wine can be more versatile direction for salmon pairings, particularly if you are serving salmon with sauces with herbal and/or citrus elements. The key with salmon is choosing something with enough body to match the richness of the fish - lighter, more delicate whites don’t really stand up to salmon. Save those for white fish, such as this baked haddock.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the white wine I go to most often to pair with salmon. A full-bodied Chardonnay has enough weight to stand up to the fish, and works well across a range of preparations - I’ve paired it with kale pesto pasta, simply prepared salmon, and even alongside a fruit salsa. I’d say it is particularly good for the simple preparations; when you start adding things like pesto or citrus, other whites might work even better.
One style note worth making: reach for a Chardonnay that isn’t overdoing the butter and oak. A more restrained style keeps the food in the foreground. White Burgundy is a good option here - the more elegant style tends to make for a refined pairing, particularly with herb-forward preparations. I’ve enjoyed White Burgundy with salmon and pesto as well as a nicely prepared salmon dish at MC Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine.
But you can certainly find good California Chardonnays that are don’t overdue the buttery notes. I gravitate toward Sonoma Chardonnays, from the Russian River or Sonoma Coast.
White Rhône
This is an underrated direction for salmon that I reach for frequently. Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc are the grapes to look for. The wines tend to have good body with stone fruit and herbal notes that pair nicely with the fish. I’ve used a Côtes du Rhône blanc with pan-seared salmon and a Yakima Valley Roussanne from Dineen Vineyards with air-fryer salmon and kale pesto pasta - both worked very well.
If you haven’t explored White Rhône wines yet, they are a great alternative or change of pace from Chardonnay. Salmon is a great food to try with a White Rhône.
Verdejo
Some Spanish whites can be a natural fit with salmon, especially alongside pesto preparations. Some Verdejos, in particular, can have good body and a slight herbal quality that bridges nicely with pesto without clashing with the fish. For instance, I recently opened the 2020 Meraldis Gran Vino de Rueda Verdejo to serve with simply prepared salmon plated with kale pesto pasta and a squeeze of lemon. This aged Verdejo had a complex flavor profile, with lemon curd, hints of cinammon and layers of flavor. The wine’s combination of texture and acidity allowed it to bridge the richness of the fish and the herbal character of the pesto. For salmon, I would look for a similar Verdejo was a bit of age and heft.
Vermentino
Vermentino is a white I’ve also tested recently with salmon and pesto. The herbal quality and bright acidity work especially well alongside pesto preparations. I recently tested a Tuscan Vermentino with salmon and kale pesto pasta alongside the Verdejo mentioned above - both were good pairings, with the Vermentino’s herbal notes making it a particularly natural match for the pesto.
For more on Vermentino as a food pairing wine, see our Pea and Asparagus Risotto post where we explored a Tuscan Vermentino pairing in more detail.
Italian Whites
Italian whites offer some good variety for salmon pairing, especially alongside pesto preparations. A few I’ve tested:
Falanghina, from Campania, has zippy acidity and citrus notes that work well with salmon and pesto - see our Salmon with Pesto and Orzo post for details. Frascati brings light melon fruit and freshness and is another good option with the same preparation. Soave and Pinot Grigio can also work - lean toward fuller-bodied versions for the best match with salmon.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc’s bright acidity and herbal notes can make it a good partner for salmon with herb-based sauces. It works especially well when there’s a green element on the plate - pesto, parsley, or fresh herbs. I’ve paired it with salmon and parsley pesto with good results. I wouldn’t tend to go for a Sauv Blanc with more basic preparations, that don’t have a sauce calling for the acidity.
Those are the main white wine directions I’ve tested with salmon. Now let’s look at what works when the salmon itself is the star - without a sauce or topping driving the pairing choice.
Best Wine with Simply Prepared Salmon
When salmon is prepared simply - olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper, or a light marinade - the pairing decision opens up considerably. Without a dominant sauce or topping driving the choice, both red and white wine work well.
This is where I’d start with Pinot Noir if you’re in a red wine mood, or Chardonnay if you’re going white. A White Rhône is also worth considering, especially if you want a white wine other than Chardonnay.
Our Simple Pan Seared Salmon and Easy Air Fryer Salmon posts both cover simple salmon cooking methods, with specific wine pairing notes for each. Good starting points if you want to get into more details and pick up some more specific bottle recommendations.
Salmon and Asparagus Wine Pairing
Salmon and asparagus is a popular combination, and “best wine with salmon and asparagus” is a frequently asked question. The asparagus adds an extra consideration to the pairing - it’s a notoriously tricky vegetable for wine, and the way you cook the asparagus influences the pairing choices.
I recently tested a simply prepared air fryer salmon alongside steamed asparagus with the 2024 Maison Chavet ‘Le Petit Georges’ Sauvignon Blanc ($18, 12.5% ABV) from Menetou-Salon in the Loire Valley - and it worked well. The grassy, herbal character of the wine bridged nicely to the asparagus, while the body held up to the salmon. When I took a bite of both the salmon and asparagus together with the wine, that combination worked especially well.
The style of Sauvignon Blanc matters here. Look for something with herbaceous, grassy character and a mineral edge rather than a purely tropical, fruit-driven style. A classic Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc is a natural choice - Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are the well-known appellations, but Menetou-Salon, just west of Sancerre, offers a very similar style at a friendlier price. The Maison Chavet was a recent selection from Berman’s wine club in Lexington, MA, if you happen to be in the area.
Roasting or grilling the asparagus changes the pairing calculation a bit, opening up some additional options. For more on pairing wine with asparagus across different preparations, see our How to Pair Wine with Asparagus guide.
Wine with Salmon and Pesto
I love serving salmon with pesto! It's a combination I put together frequently. When I get a bunch of local kale, I often make a big batch of kale pesto. Both kale pesto and classic basil pesto can be great with salmon. The herbal, garlicky character of pesto is what drives the wine pairing here, and it points clearly toward white wine.
A medium to full-bodied, crisp white wine with some herbal character of its own is what you’re looking for when pairing salmon and pesto. Here’s what I’ve tested:
Chardonnay can work well, particularly a restrained style that isn’t overdoing the oak and butter. White Burgundy is a good example of this style. I’ve paired it with salmon and pesto with potatoes with good results.
White Rhône is another great option for pairing with salmon and pesto. The stone fruit and herbal notes in Roussanne and related grapes bridge nicely to the pesto. A Yakima Valley Roussanne from Dineen Vineyards worked especially well alongside air fryer salmon and kale pesto pasta.
Verdejo - I tried a bottle of the 2020 Meraldis Gran Vino de Rueda Verdejo (appx. $35, 14.0% ABV) with salmon and kale pesto pasta recently. Deep golden yellow in the glass, with notes of lemon curd, almond and a zesty hint of spice. This is an excellent wine and pairing, and would encourage you to try this or similar aged Verdejo. Lighter / younger Verdejos might not fare as well with salmon.
Vermentino – I also recently tested a fairly full-bodied Vermentino from Tuscany - the 2023 Rocca di Frassinello Vermentino ($23, 12.5% ABV) with salmon and pesto. This Vermentino has some lemon notes that connected nicely with the squeeze of lemon served on the salmon. It also had good underlying minerality that helped match the weight of the fish, and moderate acidity that bridged to the pesto. Vermentino is a grape worth seeking out if you enjoy exploring Italian whites, especially with seafood.
Italian whites more broadly are a good direction here. Falanghina’s zippy acidity and citrus notes work well with salmon and basil pesto - see our Salmon with Pesto and Orzo post for details. Frascati is another good option with the same preparation. For more Italian white pairings with salmon and pesto, see our Salmon Pesto Pasta post.
Sauvignon Blanc can work well here too, particularly when there’s a strong herbal element in the pesto - parsley pesto especially. See our Salmon with Parsley Pesto and Peas for more on that pairing.
For all the salmon and pesto recipe options, our Orzo, Salmon and Pesto and Ziti with Salmon and Kale Pesto posts are good places to start.
Wine with Salmon and Mushrooms
Salmon and mushrooms is another combination I make regularly. The earthiness of the mushrooms changes the pairing dynamic, setting up some great red wine pairings. This is one of my favorite ways to show that red wine really can work with fish.
Pinot Noir is the clear first choice here. The earthiness of a good Pinot matches the mushrooms beautifully, while its lighter body doesn’t overwhelm the salmon. I’ve made this pairing many times across different preparations - pan seared, grilled and baked salmon - and it is consistently a great pairing for salmon. Oregon and Burgundy Pinots are particularly good with salmon. See our Salmon with Mushrooms, Grilled Salmon with Mushroom Sauce, and Salmon Farro and Mushrooms posts for specific bottle suggestions and recipe details.
Merlot is a solid alternative, particularly with a richer mushroom sauce. A medium-bodied Washington state Merlot has worked well for us here - see the Salmon with Mushrooms post for more detail. You are looking for a more fruit-forward Merlot, without significant oak and tannins.
Grignolino and other light reds are worth exploring too, especially in warmer months. I recently paired the 2023 Agostino Pavia & Figli Grignolino d’Asti ($18, 12.5% ABV) with salmon and a mix of local wild mushrooms over farro - an excellent pairing, and a tremendous value. Grignolino is one example of a broader category of lighter red wines that can work well with a salmon and mushroom combination. These wines often benefit from a slight chill in the summer.
Southern French reds - a lighter-style Languedoc blend or similar - can also work in this context. See our Salmon with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce post for more on this direction. I’m also curious to try some of the Grenache-based reds from Collioure that I enjoyed while visiting Banyuls-sur-Mer - the lighter style seems like it would translate well.
As with the broader red wine guidance earlier in this post, keep the tannins in check whatever you choose. The mushrooms give you more room to work with red wine, but a big tannic red is still going to clash with the fish.
More Salmon and Wine Pairing Resources
Salmon is a fun fish to pair with wine. It's versatile enough to work with both reds and whites, and by paying attention to how you are serving it and a few basic tips, you are likely to have an enjoyable pairing.
The key takeaways: mushroom preparations point toward Pinot Noir and other lighter reds; pesto and herb-topped salmon calls for a full-bodied white with some herbal character; and simply prepared salmon can go either direction depending on your mood. Asparagus alongside the fish adds a consideration of its own, with a Loire-style Sauvignon Blanc a reliable bridge for both components.
This post will continue to grow as I test more pairings - rosé with salmon is one direction I’m actively exploring, and I’ll add recommendations as I have real results to share.
In the meantime, here are some additional Cooking Chat resources to help you put a great salmon meal together:
Leave a Reply