Sashimi, ceviche and crudo: what wine to pair with raw fish (new post)

Raw fish has become increasingly fashionable over the last few years, not just in Japanese, Peruvian and Mexican restaurants but in many other ones too.

But what type of wine should you pair with dishes like carpaccio, ceviche, crudo, sashimi or a tuna tartare?

First, it depends on the type of fish more than the way it’s cut. Scallops, seabass or prawns for example are going to be lighter and more delicate in flavour than salmon, tuna or mackerel but it’s the dressing or dipping sauce that is most likely to determine the match.

That will mainly depend on the origin of the dish. Italian raw fish dishes tend to be simply dressed while Japanese and other Asian ones can have much more complex nutty flavours.

As a big raw fish fan I’ve given a lot of thought to the subject. Here are the wines I serve at home and look out for on restaurant wine lists together with my favourite pairings for specific dishes

Generally reliable choices

Dry white wines and the keyword is dry, particularly if you’re talking sashimi.

Most white wines are described as dry so let’s be more specific. Young, fresh, unoaked, modest in alcohol, not overly fruity (so not a New Zealand sauvignon blanc I suggest unless there’s a punchy dressing). High in acidity. Pure and simple, rather than complex.

Good examples are albarino and alvarinho (sometimes labelled as Vinho Verde), Muscadet, Picpoul de Pinet, Petit Chablis, a good pinot grigio from Trentino or the Alto Adige, carricante from Etna in Sicily, grüner veltliner from Austria and koshu from Japan.

Ultra dry Provence, Corsican or Languedoc rosé - so pale it’s almost a white - also works well

as, of course, does chilled sake

Italian style crudo or carpaccio dressed with olive oil and lemon

As you can see from this post sauvignon blanc and similarly citrussy whites pair well thanks to the olive oil rather than the citrus which can cancel out the lemon in the wine. Zesty Italian whites such as Greco di Tufo, passerina and pecorino are also good options as would be Greece’s assyrtiko and Crete’s Vidiano.

As suggested above you could also could try a pale Provence or Corsican rosé

An orange dressing on the other hand can take a more aromatic wine as this pairing of sea bream carpaccio with Hugel Gentil, a blend of riesling Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer demonstrates. Or dry riesling on its own. See also ceviche below.

Japanese-style raw fish

At its simplest this might just involve soy sauce and wasabi but could well be a more complex dressing or dip involving mirin, miso or sesame oil. Either way there’s an element of umami that indicates that sake - chilled rather than warm - would be a particularly good pairing.

If you’ve got a selection of sashimi in front of you with high quality fish, a daiginjo or junmai daiginjo sake would be a great choice but the dry white wines I’ve outlined above would also work. Or try a brut nature champagne I.e. one without any ‘dosage’ or added sugar.

More full-flavoured dressings and marinades could take a richer white like a white grenache or a fuller style of grüner veltliner as in this pairing.

There are also Japanese flavours - yuzu and sesame - in this dish that went particularly well with a sauvignon-semillon blend.

See also what to drink with sushi and

8 foods you might be surprised to find pair brilliantly with sake 

Ceviche and Tiradito

Ceviche - and tiradito - which is basically a variation on ceviche have brighter zestier flavours than Italian or Japanese preparations. Often involving tropical fruits or fruit juices like mango along with chilli and fresh coriander.

As I discovered on a trip to Chile a few years back they tend to pair with with sauvignon blanc, particularly Chilean sauvignon which has a distinctively citrussy flavour of its own.

Or, if you’re averse to sauvignon, try a crisp vinho verde which paired really well with this trout dish which was cured in verdita, a Mexican drink  made from lime and pineapple juice, jalapeno pepper, coriander and mint.

Citrus - in this case lime which is a common ingredient in ceviche dressings - can also steer you towards Australian Riesling as it did with the salmon dish above or, channelling the South American vibe, Argentina’s Torrontes as in this scallop ceviche I also succesfully paired it with Friulano, an aromatic white wine from Italy, earlier this year. 

If the ceviche includes fruit like mango you could even go for a fruity rosé like this one.

Finally, Chile’s Pisco sour is brilliant with ceviche - the only downside being it’s nigh on impossible to get the local limon de Pica, which are are actually rather more like small lemons than limes, in the UK. However I suggest a way round it here.

Poke

Poke - which originates from Hawaii - is historically based on raw fish but the poke bowls that have taken off more recently include vegetables and other ingredients that make them more like a raw fish salad than a hero raw fish dish. As a result you can go for a brighter fruitier wine than with raw fish on its own. A New Zealand sauvignon blanc, say, or a fruity rosé.

See What wine (and other drinks) to pair with poké 

Does red wine go with raw fish?

Generally I’d say white is preferable but if you’re not a white wine drinker an inexpensive, unoaked young red burgundy, red Sancerre or other light pinot noir would work, especially with tuna. Avoid too much oak or too high a level of alcohol though.

What to drink with oysters

Oysters really come into a category of their own so I suggest you check out the link below for a full range of options. But the ultra dry whites I recommend at the top of this post all work well. And Guinness of course!

The best wine (and other) pairings with oysters

Top photo by norikko at shutterstock.com

Some great food pairings for tequila

Despite the recent increase in interest in Mexican street food like tacos consumers in the UK still have to take to tequila (maybe because they’re too busy drinking gin) but in fact it’s an attractive and versatile spirit to pair with food

The style you’re most likely to come across is silver tequila, the type that’s most often used in a margarita, but you may also come across reposado tequilas which are aged in wood and anejo, older tequilas which are ideal for after-dinner drinking. (Think of them like rum: Silver is like white rum with a herbal twist, reposado like a golden rum and anejo like an aged sipping rum).

Obviously the natural starting point is Mexican food but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t drink tequila with other cuisines such as Latin American, Caribbean and newly fashionable African.

Here are the type of dishes that I think work best

Tacos
The street food of 2017, especially fish tacos which with a white or silver tequila. Try a reposado if you’re eating meatier tacos like pork

Raw fish
Particularly ceviche and punchily seasoned fish tartares but there's no reason why you shouldn’t try a silver tequila with sushi or sashimi

Grilled seafood like squid or prawns
Especially with garlic or a touch of chilli. Silver, again

A wide range of vegetables especially asparagus, green peppers and tomatillos (silver) and corn (reposado) Also avocado which of course is technically a fruit but counts as a veg in my book - guacamole being the obvious option

Recipes with fresh herbs especially coriander
Again this appears regularly in Mexican food but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t sip a silver tequila with Indian street food like samosas or puris and green chutney. It should go with middle eastern grills and salads too.

Recipes with citrus especially lime and orange
Citrus works particularly well with the flavour of agave (the plant from which tequila is made)

Pork
Pulled, grilled, served with corn (like posole) - all good with a reposado. Think also empanadas with a pork filling

Steak
You can partner a good steak or burger with a reposado or an anejo. Even fajitas though I probably wouldnt drink anything tooo fancy with them.

Chocolate
Like most aged spirits anejo tequila goes well with dark chocolate - or even milk chocolate if it’s Mexican which has a particularly delicious fudgy texture.

There's a useful longer article on pairing food with tequila here.

Six of the best drinks to pair with tacos

Image © anaumenko @fotolia.com

Top pairings for dry and off-dry Alsace whites

On a recent visit to Alsace, I had the pleasure of rediscovering the region’s diverse wine offerings, from crisp Rieslings to  Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris. What struck me during this trip was how integral sweetness is to perfecting a food and wine pairing—a nuance that can vary greatly between a youthful bottle and a more aged vintage.

In Alsace, we focused on traditional local Alsatian cuisine, because I always prefer to eat local when I visit a wine region. This region’s wines, particularly the off-dry varieties, are famously well-suited to spicy dishes—a testament to Alsace’s global culinary influence. While the French may not always excel at Asian cuisine, Alsace wines undoubtedly do. They shine brightest when paired with bold, flavourful dishes, and I’m convinced they have untapped potential with Scandinavian fare as well.

Intriguingly, a new sweetness indicator is appearing on the back labels of many Alsace wines, offering a helpful guide to their style—an invaluable tool for any wine enthusiast looking to enhance their dining experience. But to truly appreciate these wines, one must delve deeper into the unique pairings they complement. Let’s explore some of the top pairings that make Alsace wines truly unforgettable.

Top Pairings for Alsace Riesling

Riesling is my favorite Alsace wine. While Gewürztraminer has its charm, Riesling’s versatility, especially in its drier forms, makes it a standout. Here are some of the best pairings:

In Alsace:

• Creamy sauces with fish: Particularly with zander, plaice, or sole, where a dry Riesling cuts through the richness.
• Choucroute: A traditional Alsace dish that pairs beautifully with both dry and off-dry Rieslings.

Other Great Matches:

• Scandinavian seafood dishes and smorgasbord: Dry or off-dry Riesling complements the delicate flavours.
• Japanese seafood dishes: Especially sashimi and sushi, where dry Riesling’s acidity enhances the freshness.
• Raw seafood: Think fish tartares, carpaccios, and ceviches—dry Riesling is the perfect match.
• Asian-inspired seafood: Oysters with an Asian twist, seafood cocktails, lighter Thai dishes like crab cakes and salads are all lifted by an off-dry Riesling.
• Fish dishes in general: Fish terrines, simply cooked sea bass, and seafood salads all suit a drink Riesling.
• Dry spiced chicken dishes: For example, chicken tikka and tandoor chicken are both ideal with an off-dry Riesling.

Top Pairings for Riesling Blends

One of the styles I was most impressed by on the trip, particularly Domaine Pfister’s Cuvée 8 (Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürz and Muscat) and Marc Kreydenweiss’s Clos du Val d’Eleon a 50/50 blend of Riesling and Pinot Gris. By and large I’d follow the pairing suggestions for dry to off-dry Riesling rather than those for Pinot Gris or Gewürz. Riesling blends, such as Domaine Pfister’s Cuvée 8, are equally impressive. These blends often include Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Muscat, creating a symphony of flavours. Follow the pairing guidelines for dry to off-dry Riesling, keeping in mind the additional depth the blends offer.

Top Pairings for Alsace Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris from Alsace can be a bit of a wildcard—sometimes dry, sometimes rich and verging on sweet. Here’s what I recommend:

In Alsace:

• White meats in creamy sauces: Especially when mushrooms are involved, a dry Pinot Gris is sublime.
• Hot pâté en croûte: A brilliant match we enjoyed with an older Pinot Gris at Leon Boesch.

Other Great Matches:

• Smokey foods or sauces: Pinot Gris handles these with ease, particularly when off-dry.
• Richer fish like monkfish and salmon: Both dry and off-dry styles work well.
• Thai curries with coconut: The off-dry Pinot Gris balances the spice and creaminess perfectly.

Top Pairings for Alsace Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is almost synonymous with spicy cuisine, particularly Chinese and Indian dishes. However, it’s important to choose the right dishes to avoid overwhelming the palate.

In Alsace:

• Foie gras: The off-dry Gewürztraminer is a classic, luxurious pairing.
• Munster cheese: Another regional specialty that matches well with both dry and off-dry versions.

Other Great Matches:

• Washed rind cheeses: Like Epoisses or Maroilles, which pair beautifully with dry or off-dry Gewürz.
• Szechuan and Korean dishes: The spicier, the better—Gewürztraminer’s sweetness cools the heat.
• Apple desserts: Off-dry Gewürz works wonderfully with apple crumble or strudel, enhancing the cinnamon and fruit flavours.

Best Pairings for Alsace Pinot Blanc

Often overlooked, Pinot Blanc is a versatile and underrated wine from Alsace. It’s an excellent all-rounder, particularly with light, simple dishes.

In Alsace:

• Onion tart or Tarte flambée: Both are classic Alsace dishes that pair effortlessly with Pinot Blanc.
• Quiche Lorraine: A perfect match, especially with a creamy filling.

Other Good Matches:

• Risottos and pastas: Especially those with creamy sauces or spring vegetables.
• Simple seafood dishes: Fish pie or fishcakes are enhanced by the smoothness of Pinot Blanc.

Best Pairings for Alsace Sylvaner

Many of the dishes that go with a dry to off-dry riesling will go with a dry Sylvaner though it generally doesn’t have Riesling’s purity and minerality. Again it’s regarded as an inexpensive wine in Alsace though the best examples e.g. from Ostertag really show the grape’s potential.

In Alsace:

• A winstub (wine bar) wine drunk with light snacks such as salads, cold meats and tarte flambée

Other Good Matches:

• You could drink it with similar dishes to a dry Riesling. It’s a good match for Westernised versions of dishes like stir fries or noodles that have an Asian influence but are not particularly spicy or authentic.

Best Pairings for Alsace Muscat

Alsace Muscat is aromatic and fresh, but not as versatile as Gewürztraminer. It’s best enjoyed as an aperitif or with a few select dishes.

In Alsace:

• White asparagus: Served with a buttery sauce or smoked ham, an off-dry Muscat shines.
• Smoked cheeses: Another excellent match for the off-dry style.

Other Good Matches:

• Fresh fruit salads: Particularly those featuring tropical fruits, where Muscat’s fruitiness complements the flavours.

If you have other favourite matches do leave a comment! 

Image credit: Alberta Studios