F&B Pairing: Which wine to pair with sushi?

Sushi is a great food to eat regardless of the time of day as it’s very light – meaning we can eat it for brunch, lunch or for dinner. Each piece of sushi has a small slice of fish which is balanced out with a bit of sticky rice. Not only does this create interesting flavours in the mouth, it also gives interesting textures as well. It is no wonder that this highly nutritious dish has become a staple food for the Japanese.

The first idea that comes to mind is to pair sushi with beer or sake. But thanks to restaurateurs, such as Nobu Matsuhisa, the notion of complementing wine with raw fish has been widely accepted. The excited thing about marrying these dishes with wines are the endless possibilities of pairings.

The raw fish in sushi connects you to the ocean, while the rice connects you to the land. Another element that connects you to the land and goes great with the dish is wine.

Because the flavours in sushi can range from light to medium intensity, we recommend a light, white wine to go with the dish. The acidity from the white will create a nice refreshing sensation when pairing it with sushi. Our recommendation for a safe pairing would be to stay away from heavy Chardonnays or red wines.

An original pairing with rosé wine?

For an even more interesting pairing, you can try to pair rosé wine with your sushi. The freshness and fruitiness of the rosé wine creates an interesting combination with the sushi. The Domaine d’E Croce, Cuv ée Yves Leccia from Corsica Island is a rosé wine which does that beautifully.

The fruity notes of red berries and apricots complement the meal very well. The medium-bodied weight of the wine wraps around the fish and sushi just nicely, allowing the meal to slide into your mouth. Not to mention it’s good for helping you digest the dish as well.

Recommendations from  Nicolas Rebut, Sommelier at The French Cellar, Singapore.