I'd set out the glasses when I tasted the soup one last time. A squeeze of lemon, a bit more pepper – and suddenly dinner was fresher than it had been five minutes earlier. The fish was the same. The soup had changed direction.
That's where I start when choosing a drink for fish soup: with a spoonful of broth. Is it the cream, the lemon or the spice I want another mouthful of? A fresh white wine is a good starting point for many creamy fish soups, but it's the taste in your own pot that makes the choice interesting.
When cream takes the lead role
For a mild soup with cream, leek and pieces of fish, I like something fresh in the glass. Think about what lemon does for a butter sauce: it gives a tart break from the round and rich. It's also a useful way to think about wine. WSET describes acidity as a good counterweight to rich food.
If you want a concrete lead at Vinmonopolet, take a look at Umani Ronchi I Sassi Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2025. Vinmonopolet's tasting note reads: "Saftig og nyansert, toner av modne gule epler og fersken, litt urt, nøtt, fennikel og mineraler." It's particularly the herb and fennel character that makes me curious about it with a soup featuring leek or fennel. The bread on the side can happily get a generous layer of butter.
A little curry shifts the conversation
Maybe you've had ginger or curry in the pot. Then I'd first check how strong it actually turned out, before hunting for a specific grape. A mild spice aroma and a soup that bites back on the tongue are two different dinners.
For the mild version I'll often try an aromatic white wine. When the chilli becomes noticeable, I look instead for a touch of sweetness and moderate alcohol. WSET points to wine with a bit of sweetness as one way to balance chilli heat. You don't need to make the pot stronger to get something exciting in the glass.
Lemon can have the last word
If you've been generous with the lemon, I'd stay on a fresh track. Assyrtiko from Santorini is a style worth being curious about. It's a small detour with a nice story: Vinmonopolet links the island's nutrient-poor volcanic soil to white wines with high acidity and low pH. For my lemon-bright soup, that very fresh direction is interesting.
If you'd rather go non-alcoholic, try apple juice with sparkling water. Taste the mix alongside a spoonful of soup: more water if it seems sweet and heavy, more juice if it disappears. It's a more pleasant task than staring at a bottle hoping it has the answer.
Put the pot on the table while the fish is still juicy. It's fine to spend more time on that last heel of bread than on the grape choice.
