What wine goes with sushi?

Dry sparkling wine is the best wine for sushi, because the bubbles and acidity cut through soy sauce and rice, and it works with raw fish, rolls and tempura alike.

Sushi is salty from the soy, sweet from the rice, a little hot from the wasabi, and delicate from the fish. That sounds tricky, but crisp, high-acid wines handle all of it. The thing to avoid is anything heavy, oaky or tannic.

4 bottles that actually work with sushi

• 1. Gruet Brut

  about $16

  Chardonnay and Pinot Noir · grocery and wine shops

  Made the Champagne way, in New Mexico of all places, and a fraction of the price. Dry, crisp and toasty, and it is great with everything from nigiri to tempura.

• 2. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

  about $17

  Sauvignon Blanc · nearly everywhere

  Zesty and citrusy, with a grassy edge. Perfect for rolls with cucumber or avocado and for anything with a squeeze of citrus.

• 3. Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling

  about $10

  Riesling · nearly everywhere

  Crisp, lightly fruity and very food-friendly. It handles wasabi heat and spicy tuna better than almost anything else on the shelf.

• 4. La Vieille Ferme Rosé

  about $9

  Grenache blend · grocery stores

  Light, dry rosé is a sneaky great match for salmon and tuna. Cheap, pretty and very easy to drink.

Depends how you are cooking it

Nigiri and sashimi

Keep it delicate. Brut sparkling wine or a dry Riesling.

Spicy tuna or spicy rolls

Heat wants a little fruit and low alcohol. Riesling or rosé.

Tempura and fried rolls

Bubbles, no contest. The fizz cuts the batter.

Eel or teriyaki-glazed rolls

Sweet and smoky. A light Pinot Noir works here, or an off-dry Riesling.

What to skip

Big reds

Tannin plus raw fish tastes metallic, and the wine buries the fish entirely.

Oaky Chardonnay

All that vanilla and butter fights soy sauce and smothers the fish.

Also worth a look

• What wine goes with salmon?
• What wine goes with shrimp?
• What wine goes with Thai food?

Last checked 2026-10-04.