If you asked me, “what wine should I drink with ______,” the safest answer will always be: sparkling wine. Veggie pizza? Grilled steak? A 13-layer caramel cake? Brussels sprouts roasted with bacon? Slow-roasted hot wings? It doesn’t matter how you fill in the blank—the answer stays the same: sparkling wine. Every. Single. Time. So, the answer is the same for a recommended wine pairing for salmon. Sparkling.
And it’s not just my opinion—the professionals agree. According to Food & Wine, ” Sparkling Rosé Pairs with Everything.” So, if you’re looking for the best wine for salmon, you really can’t go wrong with a glass of bubbly.
Wine Pairing for Salmon
If you’re not in the mood for a sparkling wine, here are more wines for salmon:
White wine for salmon
With grilled salmon or Greek style salmon, open up a Pinot Grigio. The light white will not overpower the dish, and the acidity will enhance the flavor of the dish. Or, a white wine with a little bit of sweetness, like a Riesling. Of course, a Chardonnay will also be a crowd-pleaser if you’re having a party.
Red Wine for salmon
If you’re making Teriyaki salmon, a Pinot Noir would work well. The best red wine for salmon is going to be lighter, so stick to a Merlot or Pinot Noir – even the popular November wine, Beaujolais, which is a young wine that tends to be light and on the sweeter side.
Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé is the wine try with smoked salmon
The wine to drink with smoked salmon is the Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé.
The Gloria Ferrer Brut Rosé tastes like berries, is smooth and not too sweet, and is a favorite to pair with 4pm and a chill playlist.
In quarantine, I’m having to make the things I’d most like to order at a restaurant and honestly it’s been kind of fun to get funky in the kitchen. (Note: not everything has been a winning dish.)
Here is a winning combination: smoked salmon and brut rosé.
Brunch? Lunch? Happy Hour? Really, it doesn’t matter. Smoked salmon with cream cheese and diced red onion and capers is the best fancy breakfast … Or, a blini version is a more happy hour appropriate version. (Although, this also makes a fantastic brunch.)
Gloria Ferrer wine club sent recipe recommendations along with the wines. Caviar and blinis was one such suggestion. Obviously. Champagne and caviar? That’s the life we all aspire to, right? So a knocked-down version with less expensive ingredients: Smoked salmon which isn’t $80 for a tiny jar.
Smoked Salmon appetizers to try
- Easiest: create a spread with smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, & chopped red onion with crackers
- Dill dip, Blinis and smoked salmon (super easy)
- Mini cucumber smoked salmon appetizer bites
- Smoked salmon pizza
- Salmon dip
The Gloria Ferrer terrace is probably one of the most spectacular places you could ever enjoy a glass of wine. (Check out our Gloria Ferrer photo album of our visit.)
Where to buy Gloria Ferrer: You just can’t go wrong with Gloria Ferrer sparkling wines, available at most grocery stores. Or order online. We’re a part of the Gloria Ferrer wine club and it is AWESOME. Wine clubs are such a fun way to order wine. We split it with friends and share the shipments – but it’s also an excuse to get together with them and drink wine!
Crank up a great playlist
We’ve loved our Sonos speakers for years. It’s like surround sound without hiring an electrician – and the ones we’ve enjoyed forever are on sale and pretty affordable. Check out the Sonos at Costco.
Bonus: smoked salmon makes an excellent breakfast the morning after 🥂
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