The 10 Best Dry White Wines to Pair With Fish

Many people find great pleasure in pairing wine with their meals, finding the best combination to enhance the entire experience either time food or drink comes to their lips. If you go out to high end restaurants, you'll probably notice that this is an especially popular idea with fish dinners. With each type of fish comes a specific taste, and different wines pair specifically well with different kinds to enhance their flavor. While there are red wines that go well with red meat fish like salmon, white wines are mostly known to be what you pair with fish because this food source is typically a leaner, white meat. Not all of us have the luxury of going out to eat at upscale restaurants though, and you shouldn't miss out on delectable dining, right? Luckily for you, if you want to take out the guesswork, we’ve got the perfect combinations of delicious dry white wines to pair with fish out there, so that you can turn dinner into a truly immersive experience.

Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc is a dry white wine you can pair with meals that have a citrus kick to them. This wine and fish combination works well because most Sauvignon Blancs have a crispness to them, due to their acidity, that compliments dishes prepared in a sweet and savory way. This contrasts particularly well with the smoothness of scallops all the way through to the last bite or drop.

This dry riesling is one of the best dry white wines to pair with sushi, crab, and ahi tuna because of its ripe flavors and balanced acidity. It is crisp and has aromas of jasmine, orange blossom, and lime that round out Asian, Caribbean, and Indian cuisine in the best possible way. Just be careful, riesling can vary in taste from very dry to very sweet depending on the brand, so pay attention to the label on the bottle.

Chablis is a lean, white wine that goes well with heavier seafood dishes, such as lobster or salmon fillets. Chablis is lean because it originates in the Northernmost wine district of the Burgundy region of France, and is reminiscent of Chardonnays in nature; though, the key difference is its lighter body in comparison to them. When you’re eating a heavy meal, you may want to complement it with a lighter drink option, right? Well, Chablis goes wonderfully with the best cheeses to pair with white wine (none more so than goat cheese though), as well as any other of the most satisfying fish dishes you can make at home.

If you’re looking for dry white wines to pair with fish such as eel or yellowtail (which have meatier and flakier tendencies), then a White Burgundy will be a great option. White Burgundy wines are very similar to Chardonnay, but they comes from a different region. Many people explain that once they taste a White Burgundy, and they feel they can never go back to an ordinary Chardonnay because it is so much better!

Muscadet is a great white wine to pair with oily fish like oysters and other shellfish. Muscadet is not exactly considered a fancy wine, but it is easily accessible and affordable. It has a citrusy taste to it, which can tame and compliment the stronger flavors of these kinds of white fish perfectly.

Chenin Blanc is another one of the dry white wines to pair with fish like yellowtail. Yellowtail is used as sashimi, and goes well with sweeter sauces and wines that are crisp and zesty. Chenin Blanc has a little bit of spice, embodies tropical fruit, and provides you a thick, luscious mouthful, all the way through its finish after you wash down your bite with it. It is a very popular wine, and has a body similar to Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.

Vinho Verde is one of those dry white wines to pair with a delicate and mild fish like sea bass. This is a light bodied, tart wine that comes out of Portugal. Although Vinho Verde is not effervescent enough to be put in the category of sparkling wines, it does have a taste that is similar to sparkling wines on the market since it is characteristically young. This wine is a great choice to pair with any white fish dish, but especially lighter ones like sushi or hors d'oeuvres.

Another option in dry white wines to pair with Italian food is Pinot Gris, especially when it comes to having a sea bass or filet as the main course. Sea bass is a mild, steak-like fish, which means you can pair it with a dry and bright white wine like Pinot Gris with no problem. This wine will bring out the flavor in the fish with its acidity and fruity taste.

Trout is a salty and fishy fish, which means it needs to be paired with a savory, citrusy wine such as a Spanish Albarino wine. Most people haven’t heard about the dry white wine known as Albarino, but it is Spain’s most well-known white wine. It has citrus flavors, high acidity, and pairs perfectly for fish dishes and other summer meals. Anyone who likes Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc will enjoy an Albarino with their meal.

A nice Chardonnay is one of the best dry white wines to pair with fish that needs to be enhanced by the way it is prepared and served, such as halibut. Halibut is a mild fish, which many consider to be the chicken of the fish world. Because of this, Woodbridge Chardonnay has a bold and tropical flavor that will perfectly highlight the dish. Chardonnay is also, arguably, the most popular white wine on Earth, so you are sure to love this pairing!

When you’re searching for dry white wines to pair with fish, it’s all about finding opposites that attract. If you’re eating fish with a strong flavor, you’ll want to pair it with a white wine that won't drown out the flavor of your meal. If you’re eating a more mild fish dish, you can pair it with a white wine that is bolder and brings its own flavor to the dish. That is, of course, the key to wine and food pairings for beginners in general, but it is absolutely pivotal when pairing a drink with seafood. Fortunately for you, all of these dry white wines can be enjoyed with or without fish, and many of them go well with other non-seafood meals, as well. Drinking wine is all about experimenting and trying new things, so in no time at all, you might find that you’re on your way to becoming a wine connoisseur!