Sushi and wine Pairings

Sushi and Wine, the perfect paiting

Sushi is one of those delicacies that has taken the world by storm in recent years.

Hailing from Japan, the dish involves serving raw fish, often wrapped in accoutrements like seaweed and rice. It may not sound like the most appetising thing in the world. But then, you give it a try and realise that good sushi is a taste sensation! And with so many types of sushi to enjoy, you can find yourself exploring this delicacy for years to come.

But of course, you’re a wine lover.

And that means you have one question…

What wine should I pair with my sushi?

The answer depends largely on the type of sushi that you are eating. And in this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the wines, Italian and otherwise, that pair extremely well with various types of sushi.

We start with a Japanese wine that may instantly come to mind as a potential pairing…

Wine #1 – Sake

Sushi is a Japanese delicacy…

Sake is a Japanese wine…

Surely, it’s a match made in heaven!

Well, yes and no. If you speak to somebody who enjoys traditional sushi, they will tell you not to pair sake with your dish for a simple reason – sake is a rice wine.

Many sushi dishes make heavy use of rice, often as part of a filling or a wrap. Adding sake into the mix just creates an even heavier rice taste, meaning that many traditionalists actually won’t touch it when eating sushi.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t try sake and sushi though.

However, we do recommend only drinking sake with sushi that is fairly low in rice content.

Wine #2 – Pinot Noir

Let’s move into wines that you’re more likely to find in Italy.

With its somewhat subdued tastes, you may find it surprising that sushi can actually pair very well with a number of Italian red wines. Pinot noir may be the best choice for the simple fact that the wine is both flavourful and delicate. As a result, it offers something unique to the dish without being so powerful that it overpowers the taste of the fish.

That delicate nature is key here.

Anybody who knows the general rules of thumb of Italian wine pairings will tell you that it’s usually a bad idea to pair red wines with fish. The fish’s light taste means that it’s often easily overshadowed by complex reds. The delicate nature of Pinot Noir overcomes this problem, offering an interesting combination.

As a general rule, avoid tannic red wines with sushi. Pinot Noir fits the bill because it’s not especially tannic. But any red that isn’t too tannic could pair well. It’s all about experimentation to ensure you find reds that don’t overpower the light fish tastes.

Wine #3 – Sauvignon Blanc

A light-bodied white wine, Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with fried sushi, such as tempura. While the wine itself is light enough to allow the flavours in the fish to come forward, it’s also perfectly placed to temper the more intense fried flavours of the tempura.

With Sauvignon Blanc, you’re looking for an example that offers notes of white peach, passion fruit, and similar flavours. These pair exceptionally well with your sushi, creating a perfectly complementary experience.

Wine #4 – Champagne and Prosecco

We’re lumping these two great sparkling white wines together to make the general point that sparkling wines tend to mesh well with sushi. The lightness of the wines allows the fish to take centre stage, while still offering something to temper the more intense flavours in the sushi.

We do have a touch of advice here though.

Regardless of the specific sparkling white wine you choose here, aim for something that has a fairly low alcohol content. It’s the bubbles that make all of the difference with this pairing, rather than the strength of the wine.

Wine #5 – Provencal Rosé

As a general rule, Rosé makes for a good pairing with sushi as it offers the best of both the white and red wine worlds. However, there’s something special about Provencal Rosé that makes it the perfect choice.

Hailing from a place called Provence, which is in France, Provencal Wine tends to be both dry and acidic, making it the ideal choice for sushi. The fact that Provence borders the Mediterranean Sea is no coincidence either, as it’s clear that winemakers have adapted their techniques to create a wine that works especially well with seafood. Provencal Rosé pairs perfectly with fish. And it’s for this reason that you will often find it on the menu at sushi restaurants.

Wine #6 – Riesling

When it comes to Riesling and sushi, there’s a simple rule to follow:

Make it as dry as possible!

Riesling wines come in several varieties, with many of them being pretty sweet. Those are not the ones that you want for pairing with sushi, as the sweetness will overpower the more subdued flavours of the fish, creating a taste clash that isn’t enjoyable.

You’re looking for a dry Riesling, as this version of the wine is more subtle, bringing little elements of flavour without being so powerful that it destroys the integrity of the dish.

There is just one exception to the dry Riesling rule.

If you’re eating something that’s especially spicy, such as a tuna tataki, it may be best to go with an off-dry Riesling. You still don’t want to go for full sweetness. However, the off-dry wine will help to temper the spiciness of the dish.

The Final Word

Exploring the world of sushi opens up so many opportunities for interesting pairings of food and Italian wine.

The wines we’ve shared above are merely suggestions, though each is chosen because it has qualities that pair well with most sushi dishes. But as is always the case with food and wine pairings, the ultimate decision rests with you. If you like the taste of something then go for it!

Of course, you will find all of the wines mentioned in this article, alongside many more, in the Xtrawine store.