What wine to serve with sushi?

Which wine to pair with sushi?

While Japanese cuisine, and especially sushi, is often associated with sake or green tea, wine has its place perfectly at the table, provided you choose the right pairings. Freshness, finesse, balance: these are the qualities we look for in a good wine as well as a good sushi. But which styles of wine are really suitable? And what mistakes should be avoided? Here's our advice on how to make your Japanese dinners a true moment of oenological harmony.

Dry, lively white wines: the essentials

Sushi, made with vinegared rice, raw fish and sometimes seaweed or vegetables, calls for fresh, light, lightly-oaked wines with a good balance of acidity. The aim is to support the delicacy of the raw fish without overwhelming it, and not to weigh down the palate.

Our recommendations:

• Riesling (Alsace, Germany): lively, mineral, lemony, it goes perfectly with raw fish and iodized touches.

• Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé (Sauvignon Blanc): citrus aromas, finesse and tension, perfect with vinegared rice.

• Muscadet sur lie: light, dry and highly digestible, ideal with salmon or tuna sushi.

• Chablis: dry and salty, it enhances the texture of fish.

Bubbles: a daring and refined pairing

A sparkling wine can be an original ally to accompany sushi. The bubbles add freshness, cleanse the palate between bites and pair elegantly with the melt-in-the-mouth textures of raw fish.

Try :

• Crémant de Loire or Crémant d'Alsace: dry, lively and aromatic, they enhance maki or sashimi.

• Champagne brut: especially Chardonnay-based, for its finesse and straightforwardness.

• Pet Nat (natural sparkling): for a more modern, slightly wilder touch, to match original creations like vegetarian sushi.

And the reds? With care..

Red wines are not forbidden, but you should avoid tannins, which clash with raw fish and give a metallic sensation in the mouth. If you insist on serving red, opt for wines with :

• Very low in tannins, like a Gamay (Beaujolais) or a very light Pinot Noir.

• Slightly chilled, around 12-14°C, for better harmony with the dish.

What to avoid

• Woody wines (barrel-aged Chardonnay, structured reds): too heavy, they unbalance the finesse of sushi.

• Wines that are too sweet: they can overwhelm the dish's salty, acidic notes.

• Strong or alcoholic wines: alcohol overpowers the delicacy of Japanese cuisine.

The perfect match for each type of sushi

• Salmon sashimi: Riesling or Chablis

• Avocado-cucumber Makis: Sauvignon Blanc or Crémant

• Tuna sushi: Champagne blanc de blancs or Sancerre

• Tempura sushi: Pet Nat or dry, fruity rosé

Conclusion

A sushi meal can become an exceptional gastronomic experience when paired with a well-chosen wine. Go for freshness, lightness and balance, and dare to use bubbles for a chic, contemporary touch. With a La Sommelière wine cellar, you can keep your whites and sparkling wines at the ideal temperature, so that they reveal all their finesse... at just the right moment.