Best Value
Winesmiths Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2000ml
SA
$7.94per 750ml equivalent
$127.00 for 6 × 2L
Cellars
Food & wine pairing
Best wine with calamari
Crisp, salty and fried: zesty whites and bubbles.
Sauvignon Blanc
Lemon, salt and pepper all suit Sauvignon Blanc’s zip.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
The Anchorage Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2026
Clare Valley, SA
$10.67per bottle
$128.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Angove Long Row Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Riverland, SA
$11.17per bottle
$134.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Di Giorgio Frank White Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Chardonnay 2025
Coonawarra, SA
$14.50per bottle
$174.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Fiano & Vermentino
Vermentino is born to drink with seaside fried squid.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Rocca Vini Soave DOC
Veneto, Italy
$16.42per bottle
$197.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Gambit Gambetto Fiano 2024
Murray Darling, NSW
$16.58per bottle
$199.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Trentham The Family Vermentino 2025
Murray Darling, NSW
$17.17per bottle
$206.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Aylesbury Estate Q05 Arneis 2024
Ferguson Valley, WA
$23.83per bottle
$286.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Sparkling & Champagne
Bubbles clean up the batter every time.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
The Shy Pig Brut Cuvee NV
South Eastern Australia
$9.42per bottle
$113.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Stonegate Cuvée Brut NV
McLaren Vale, SA
$10.67per bottle
$128.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Tumblong Hills Table of Plenty Prosecco 2025
Gundagai, NSW
$11.25per bottle
$135.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Deakin Estate Azahara Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV
Riverina, WA
$13.67per bottle
$164.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Rosé
For grilled octopus with paprika, a dry rosé is spot on.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Enough acidity to match the dish’s tang
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Winesmiths Premium Dry Rosé 2000ml
SA
$7.94per 750ml equivalent
$127.00 for 6 × 2L
Cellars
Best Value
Rhythm and Rhyme Rosé NV
Riverland, SA
$11.00per bottle
$132.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Smith's Lane Estate Rose 2024
North East Victoria
$12.00per bottle
$72.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Bonny Doon "Vin Gris de Cigare" Rosé 2021
California, USA
$12.50per bottle
$150.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Tip
Squeeze of lemon on the plate? Pick a wine with plenty of acidity.
Best avoided
Big reds and heavy, buttery whites.
About calamari and wine
Today’s picks run from $7.94 to $23.83 a bottle, chosen for value from 815 matching wines across the Australian retailers we compare. Six-packs and dozens are shown as a price per bottle.
Questions
What wine goes best with calamari?
Sauvignon Blanc, Fiano & Vermentino and Sparkling & Champagne are the best matches for calamari. Lemon, salt and pepper all suit Sauvignon Blanc’s zip.
What’s a good cheap wine with calamari?
Winesmiths Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2000ml is the cheapest of today’s picks at $7.94 a bottle from Cellars. Prices are checked every 4 hours.
What wine should I avoid with calamari?
Big reds and heavy, buttery whites.