Which Wine Should I Serve with Fish?

It’s very common for people to wonder which wines go best with which foods. This is especially true when the dish of choice is fish. People are often at a loss as to which wine to purchase in order to best compliment a particular fish dish. While the old adage says that white wine is best with fish is often true, the truth of the matter is that wine selection truly depends on the preparation of the fish in question.


If you plan to pair your fish with a particular sauce, your wine should be selected to complement your sauce of choice. It is a common rule of thumb that fish prepared in a heavy sauce will require a heavier wine to balance the flavor. Basically, the selection of wine you choose should depend on the preparation of the fish itself.

The good news is that choosing a wine shouldn’t be all that difficult when considering the “red and white” rules. You see, since we already know that white wine goes best with fish, at least you have narrowed the field by 50%, eliminating the right wine. Certain winemakers will make heavier white wines specifically for the pairing with fish in a heavy sauce.

It’s important to remember that, no matter what dish you’re serving, the wine you select should be part of a personal preference. It won’t matter how well a particular wine goes with your choice of fish if you absolutely despise the flavor of the wine. Your best bet will be to choose a nice white wine that meets your specific taste demands and then simply enjoy your meal.

If you’re planning to attend a dinner party to where you will be required to bring a specific wine, consider calling ahead to make sure that the wine you plan to bring is suitable both for the dish as well as the tastes of the host. Because wine is an acquired taste, it’s often difficult to pinpoint a flavor that will please every pallet. For this reason, when you have no other choice or you’re in doubt, you should select a nice Riesling or a chardonnay that is light and relatively sweet.

As always, remember that fish should be on your menu at least once per week, and if you’re into tradition, as so many people are, setting your table to include a fine wine with each of your fish meals makes for an excellent tradition to start!