6 Iconic California Dishes and the Imported Wines to Pour With Them

California grows the vast majority of American wine, so why would anyone in Los Angeles or San Francisco reach for a bottle from Rioja, Piedmont, the Maule Valley or the Cape? Because the state's most iconic dishes were never built around one kind of wine. Cioppino came off Italian fishing boats in San Francisco. Fish tacos came up from Baja. Santa Maria tri-tip is cooked over red oak, Spanish-ranchero style. These are immigrant foods, and they often taste best with the wines of the places that shaped them.

And the timing is good. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the recreational Dungeness crab season in the San Francisco area is scheduled to reopen on November 7, 2026. Crab, cioppino and holiday tables are about to fill Golden State menus for the next three months. Here is how to pour for them.

Key Takeaways

• Fish tacos want a crisp, zesty Sauvignon Blanc, not an oaky white.
• Cioppino pairs best with a high-acid, low-tannin red like Nebbiolo d'Alba or Chilean Pinot Noir.
• Santa Maria tri-tip meets its match in aged Rioja: Manzanos Reserva (93 pts) and Gran Reserva (95 pts, Wine Enthusiast).
• Dungeness crab with butter loves a round, fresh Chardonnay.
• Every wine below is in stock in the U.S. and ready to ship to all 50 states.

What Wine Goes With Fish Tacos?

Beer-battered fish, cabbage slaw, crema, lime and a hit of salsa: the classic San Diego fish taco is a study in acid, crunch and heat. The wine needs the same energy. Skip heavy oak, which turns bitter against chile, and reach for bright, citrus-driven whites.

Photo: Douglas Muth, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

• Bruce Jack Reserve Sauvignon Blanc (South Africa): passion fruit, lime zest and a cool-coastal snap that mirrors the squeeze of lime on the taco.
• Cremaschi Furlotti Sauvignon Blanc (Chile): grassy, saline and lively, a natural partner for grilled shrimp or mahi tacos.

Serving tip: pour both well chilled, around 45 to 48°F. With spicy salsa, a touch of fruit in the glass cools the heat better than a bone-dry, austere white.

What Wine Pairs With Cioppino?

Cioppino is San Francisco's own: a tomato and wine broth loaded with crab, clams, mussels, shrimp and white fish, served with sourdough for dipping. It was created by Italian fishermen in North Beach, and its DNA is Ligurian. The tomato base kills soft, low-acid wines, while big tannic reds clash with the shellfish.

The answer is a red with high acidity and gentle tannin, or a structured white:

• Duchessa Lia Nebbiolo d'Alba (Piedmont): red cherry, rose and bright acidity that cuts straight through the tomato. An Italian wine for an Italian-Californian dish.
• Cremaschi Furlotti Pinot Noir (Chile): light-bodied and silky, with red berry fruit that flatters crab and mussels instead of overpowering them.

Serve the reds slightly cool, about 58 to 60°F. For more ideas on reading a seafood menu, see our New York iconic foods pairing guide, which takes the same dish-by-dish approach on the East Coast.

What Wine Goes Best With Santa Maria Tri-Tip?

Santa Maria barbecue is one of California's oldest food traditions, rooted in the rancho feasts of the Central Coast. Tri-tip is rubbed with salt, pepper and garlic, grilled over red oak and served with pinquito beans and salsa. Smoke, char, a lean but beefy cut: this is exactly where aged Tempranillo shines, because years in barrel give it the savory, smoky notes that echo the grill.

• Manzanos Reserva Rioja 2018, 93 points Wine Enthusiast: dark cherry, vanilla and tobacco, with fine tannins that hold up to the crust without overwhelming the meat.
• Manzanos Gran Reserva Rioja 2015, 95 points Wine Enthusiast: the special-occasion bottle. Leather, dried fig and spice for a slow Sunday tri-tip with the family.
• Bruce Jack Reserve Pinotage (South Africa): smoky, plummy and generous. South Africa's braai culture makes Pinotage a born barbecue wine.

Rioja and California barbecue share more history than most diners realize: the ranchero cooking of the Central Coast traces back to Spanish settlers. Our family has been making Rioja since 1890, five generations in Rioja and Navarra, and the Reserva is built for exactly this kind of table.

Which Wine Is Best With Dungeness Crab?

Cracked Dungeness crab with drawn butter and warm sourdough is the Bay Area's winter ritual. Sweet, briny meat and rich butter call for a white with roundness and freshness at the same time.

• Cremaschi Furlotti Chardonnay (Chile): ripe orchard fruit with a bright finish, round enough for the butter and lively enough for the brine.
• Las Campanas Chardonnay (Navarra, Spain): a Spanish take on the grape, with fresh stone fruit and a clean finish that keeps every bite tasting like the first.

Trade note: with the recreational opener set for November 7 and the commercial season to follow, crab promotions are one of the easiest by-the-glass wins of the fourth quarter. A Chardonnay with a story beyond California gives guests a reason to try something new.

Carne Asada and the Mission Burrito

From San Francisco's Mission District to East LA, carne asada is everyday California. Marinated, charred steak with salsa roja, guacamole and grilled onions wants a red with fruit, a little spice and soft tannins.

• Cremaschi Furlotti Carmenere (Chile): plum, black pepper and a gentle green-herb note that loves cilantro and roasted peppers.
• Siglo (Rioja): the famous Spanish bottle wrapped in burlap, a juicy, approachable Tempranillo-based red that works for taco night and backyard gatherings alike.

Castroville Artichokes: The Pairing Everyone Gets Wrong

Castroville calls itself the Artichoke Center of the World, and steamed or grilled artichokes appear on menus up and down the coast. They are also notoriously hard on wine: a natural compound in artichokes makes many wines taste oddly sweet or metallic. The fix is a dry, crisp, unoaked wine with good acidity.

• Las Campanas Rosé (Navarra): Navarra is one of Spain's historic homes of rosado. Dry, fresh and strawberry-bright, it handles artichokes with aioli far better than most reds or oaked whites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is red or white wine better with tacos?

It depends on the filling. Fish and shrimp tacos pair best with crisp whites like Sauvignon Blanc, while carne asada and al pastor work well with fruity, low-tannin reds such as Chilean Carmenere or a young Tempranillo.

What white wine is best for cioppino?

Choose a white with real acidity and some body, such as a fresh unoaked Chardonnay or a zesty Sauvignon Blanc. If you prefer red, go light and acidic: Nebbiolo d'Alba or Pinot Noir rather than Cabernet.

What wine goes best with tri-tip steak?

Aged Rioja is a standout. Reserva and Gran Reserva Tempranillo bring savory, smoky notes that echo the red-oak grill, with tannins smooth enough for a lean cut. Pinotage is another excellent barbecue match.

Do you serve red or white wine with fish?

White is the classic choice, but light, high-acid reds work beautifully with tomato-based seafood dishes like cioppino. Avoid heavy, tannic reds, which can make fish taste metallic.

Where to Find These Wines in California

For consumers: our wines are carried by national and regional retailers including Costco, Total Wine & More, Albertsons and BevMo!, depending on location and availability. Use our Find Our Wines locator to see what is near you, or browse the full portfolio on our wines page.

For the trade: whether you run a seafood house in Monterey, a taquería group in Los Angeles or a steakhouse in Santa Barbara County, our portfolio covers the whole menu, from 600+ wines rated 90 points or more to a Decanter Platinum 97-point Rioja (Manzanos 125 Aniversario). Everything is in stock in the U.S. and ready to ship to all 50 states. Become a distributor or source through us and we will help you build the list.

Manzanos Wines USA is the premier importer of premium wines from Spain, Italy, Chile, South Africa, and France, serving all 50 US states through our nationwide distributor network. Learn more at manzanoswinesusa.com.

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