Dry mineral whites such as Chablis, Albariño or Assyrtiko, light Pinot Noir and dry rosé are the classic wines for sushi. Choose a wine with fresh acidity and little or no tannin, then match it to the fish on your plate.
Shellfish and white fish go with crisp whites, tuna goes with a light red, and a dry rosé covers crab and avocado rolls. Spicy rolls are the exception, since they suit a Riesling with a touch of sweetness.
What in sushi matters for wine
Soy sauce
Salty and savory. A Pinot Noir with restrained fruit handles it better than a very sharp white.
Vinegared rice
Its sweetness works with the acidity of Pinot Noir, and it softens a wine that is a poor fit.
Wasabi
White fish with just salt and a touch of wasabi suits a dry, high-acid, mineral white.
Ginger
Ginger or a teriyaki glaze on the fish points to German Riesling or Alsace Pinot Gris.
Sushi and wine by type
Scroll the table sideways to see every column
| Sushi | Wine | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Shellfish and white-fish nigiri | Chablis, Albariño or Assyrtiko | Dry, high-acid whites match fish served with only salt and a little wasabi. |
| Tuna nigiri and sashimi | Light Pinot Noir | Tuna has more flavor and texture, and Pinot Noir's acidity works with the sweet rice. |
| Salmon nigiri and sashimi | Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre | A crisp, citrusy white suits a small, rich bite of salmon. |
| Eel and seared tuna | A classic red such as Rioja | Smoky, sauced pieces, especially on red-vinegar rice, can take a fuller red. |
| Spicy tuna roll | Kabinett Riesling | A little sugar tones down the chili in the spicy mayonnaise. |
| California roll | Dry Provence-style rosé | Red fruit and acidity suit the crab and creamy avocado. |
| Shrimp tempura roll | Albariño | High acidity and a slight bitterness cut the fried panko and sweet shrimp. |
| Scallop roll | Prosecco | A touch of sweetness and high acidity suit sweet, soft scallops. |
Why these wines work with sushi
Sushi is small, clean and lightly seasoned, so the wine has to stay gentle. Sommelier Hiroshi Ishida told Decanter that powerful wines with high alcohol and heavy fruit overpower sushi. He also noted that rice absorbs flavor, so a less-than-ideal match rarely goes badly wrong.
Ishida pairs shellfish and white fish, often eaten with only salt and a little wasabi, with dry, high-acid, mineral whites such as Chablis, Albariño or Assyrtiko. Tuna and other lean red cuts have more flavor and texture, and he pairs them with light Pinot Noir, whose acidity works with the sweetness of the rice.
Tannin, the drying grip from grape skins, can make raw fish taste metallic. A 2009 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry tied the fishy aftertaste of wine with seafood to iron in the wine. Keep any red light and low in tannin.
Soy sauce adds salt and savory depth. Ishida says very acidic whites can struggle with soy, while reds with restrained fruit, such as Burgundy Pinot Noir, handle it well. Spicy rolls get their heat from spicy mayonnaise, and a German Kabinett Riesling, a style often made lightly sweet, tones that heat down.
Wines to avoid with sushi
Skip big, high-alcohol reds with heavy fruit. Ishida gives Napa Valley Cabernet as an example of a wine that is hard to match with Japanese food.
If you use a lot of soy sauce, pass on low-acid whites such as Gewürztraminer, which Wine Folly notes can clash with high-acid soy.
Natural wines to try with sushi
- Freire Lobo Dão Vigno Branco 2024: Elisa Freire Lobo makes this Dão white from old-vine Encruzado, Bical and other local grapes on granite, with no barrel, a clean match for shellfish and white-fish nigiri.
- Brij Wines Pinot Noir Printemps SLO Coast 2025: Rajat Parr's Edna Valley Pinot Noir is made by carbonic maceration, whole grapes fermenting inside their skins, which keeps it light enough for tuna nigiri.
- Le Coste Litrozzo Rosato Wine 2024: A dry rosé of Aleatico, Sangiovese, Merlot and Procanico from volcanic soils above Lake Bolsena, in a one-liter bottle that suits a shared platter.
- Weinkultur Preiß Riesling Traisental DAC Kammerling 2022: An Austrian Riesling from the Traisental, aged in steel tank, for rolls with wasabi, ginger or salmon.
How to serve wine with sushi
- Chill crisp white wines to 38 to 45°F (3 to 7°C).
- Serve rosé at 44 to 55°F (7 to 12°C).
- Chill light Pinot Noir to 55 to 60°F (12 to 15°C).
- Choose a wine that works with at least 2 or 3 kinds of sushi, as Ishida advises, so you do not need a new glass for each piece.
- At a sushi counter, tell the chef you are drinking wine so the pieces can come grouped by shellfish, white fish and tuna.
Common questions about wine with sushi
- What wine pairs well with sushi?
- Dry mineral whites such as Chablis, Albariño or Assyrtiko, light Pinot Noir and dry rosé are the classic wines for sushi. Match the whites to shellfish and white fish, and Pinot Noir to tuna.
- Can you drink red wine with sushi?
- Yes, a light, low-tannin red such as Pinot Noir works with tuna and other lean red cuts. Big tannic reds can make raw fish taste metallic.
- What wine goes with a spicy tuna roll?
- A German Kabinett Riesling, a style often made lightly sweet, suits a spicy tuna roll because a little sugar tones down chili heat. Its high acidity handles the spicy mayonnaise.
- What wine goes with salmon sushi?
- Crisp whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre or Chablis suit salmon nigiri and sashimi. Dry Provence-style rosé works with salmon sushi as well.
- What wine goes with a California roll?
- A dry Provence-style rosé suits the crab and creamy avocado in a California roll.
- Can one wine cover a whole sushi platter?
- Sommelier Hiroshi Ishida says one wine rarely matches every piece on a mixed platter. Pick one that works with at least 2 or 3 kinds, such as a dry mineral white for shellfish and white fish.
- What wine goes with soy sauce?
- Sommelier Hiroshi Ishida says very acidic whites can struggle with soy sauce. Reds with restrained fruit, such as Burgundy Pinot Noir, handle soy sauce well.
Sources
- Decanter: How to pair wine with sushi, with sommelier Hiroshi Ishida
- Wine Folly: Best wine for sushi
- Decanter: Wine with salmon, ideas for great pairings
- Tamura et al. 2009, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: iron and fishy aftertaste in wine and seafood pairing (Europe PMC record)
- Wine Folly: Ideal serving temperature for wine
- Icon drawn from a photo by Tim Reckmann (CC BY 2.0), Wikimedia Commons
- Icon drawn from a photo by Paul Sableman (CC BY 2.0), Wikimedia Commons
