Sélection Vins et Paella

Paella, the iconic dish of Spanish cuisine, is a burst of flavors that combines rice, seafood, meat, vegetables, and spices. This convivial and generous dish is a classic for family or friends gatherings. However, this flavorful dish calls for a wine that will complement and balance its aromas. Discover on this page which wine to choose to accompany your paella, whether it’s seafood, chicken, or mixed.

Which Rosé Wine to Pair with Paella?

Rosé wine is often the preferred choice to pair with paella, especially in the summer. A dry and fruity rosé, with notes of red fruits and citrus, pairs beautifully with the rich and complex flavors of the dish. For a traditional paella, opt for a Côtes de Provence or a Languedoc-Roussillon rosé. Their freshness and fruitiness will enhance the seafood, while adding a light and refreshing touch.

Which Red Wine to Pair with Paella?

Although rosé wine is often favored with paella, this Spanish dish can also be wonderfully complemented by a round and fruity red wine. For a meat-based paella (chicken, rabbit, or chorizo), red wines from the Rhône Valley or Languedoc-Roussillon, such as an IGP Côtes Catalanes or AOC Côtes du Roussillon, are perfect. These wines offer a pleasant roundness on the palate and spicy notes that pair well with paella.

Which White Wine to Pair with Paella?

For a seafood paella, the ideal choice is a dry and mineral white wine. Seafood such as shrimp, mussels, and squid pair perfectly with fresh and lively white wines that highlight the delicacy of the seafood without overpowering it. A Chablis from Burgundy, with its citrus notes and beautiful minerality, or a Muscadet from the Loire, will work wonders with a seafood paella.

On Avenue des Vins, we offer a selection of red, white, and rosé wines directly from the winery or château of your choice to pair with your paella. Whether you opt for a fresh white, a full-bodied red, or a fruity rosé, we have the perfect cuvée to enhance your paella. Enjoy our wines at the best value for money with direct delivery to your home!

Garnacha, Monastrell, Cariñena: Spanish Names for Three Grapes of Southern France

Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre are among the traditional red grapes of Languedoc and Roussillon. Cross the Pyrenees into Spain, the home of paella, and all three go by other names.

VIVC, the international catalog of grape varieties, lists Grenache under the prime name Garnacha Tinta, with Spain as its country of origin. Mourvèdre appears as Monastrell, also of Spanish origin, and the catalog gives Mataro as another synonym. In the catalog, Carignan keeps its French name, with Cariñena and Mazuelo among its synonyms.

These are the same varieties: between two wines made from the same grape, the difference comes from soil, climate and winemaking.

A Roussillon or Languedoc red made from Grenache or Mourvèdre thus shares its grapes with many Spanish wines without being one of them. With a chicken or a mixed paella, that makes it a familiar reference point. For pairings ingredient by ingredient, see our article on wine and paella.

Fideuà and Black Paella: Pairing Questions

What wine goes with fideuà?

With fideuà, a Valencian dish in which thin noodles take the place of paella rice, pour a dry white or a dry rosé. Born as a fishermen’s dish in Gandia, it cooks in fish stock with cuttlefish, shrimp or langoustines, so it calls for the same freshness as a seafood paella.

What wine goes with black paella?

With black paella, pour a full-bodied dry white or a dry rosé rather than a tannic red. Known in Valencia and Catalonia as arròs negre, this rice dish gets its color from cuttlefish or squid ink and cooks in a fish stock with a strong taste of the sea.

Where can you buy wine for paella direct from the winemaker?

You can buy wine for paella direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. Each wine’s page lists the vintage and the bottle size.

See also: What wine should you drink with mussels? - Wines and fish - Which French wine to drink with Italian dishes?