What to drink with raclette: wine, beer and alcohol-free

Updated: 1 November 2026

Short answer: Swissmilk names white wine from Valais as the traditional choice, because its acidity suits the cheese [1]; the producers' original recipe recommends Fendant [6]. A red should be fruity, light and not aged in barriques [1][4]. For alcohol-free options, Raclette Suisse and Swissmilk name herbal or black tea and apple juice [2][3].

White wine: the classic

According to Swissmilk, raclette is traditionally served with white wines from Valais, because their acidity goes very well with the cheese [1]. Swiss Wine Promotion, the marketing body for Swiss wine, says you can't go wrong with a Chasselas or Fendant from Valais [4]. The original recipe from the Raclette du Valais producers' body recommends «Walliser Weisswein Fendant» (Valais white wine, Fendant) [6].

The white wines Swissmilk lists for raclette [1]:

Fendant (Valais) or Chasselas (Vaud)
Heida
Amigne
Petite Arvine, as long as it is not too mineral
Humagne Blanche
Pinot Blanc, Malvoisie (Pinot Gris)
Riesling-Sylvaner

Serving tip: Swissmilk suggests serving the wine a little cooler than usual, because it warms up quickly next to the raclette oven [1].

Red wine: light, no oak

Red works too, for example a fruity Pinot Noir, ideally not aged in wood [1]. Swiss Wine Promotion explains why: melted cheese and lots of tannin do not go together, so the wine for raclette should not be barrique-aged [4].

The Swiss Wine Valais blog is less strict: it also gives the example of someone who picks a tannic red to clear the cheese from the palate (our paraphrase), and notes that in popularity, Fendant and Gamay come out on top [5].

What the Valais wine blog suggests

The Swiss Wine Valais blog (in French) matches the wine to the cheese [5]:

Young village-dairy cheese, 3 to 5 months old: Eddy Baillifard, ambassador for Raclette du Valais AOP, sticks with Fendant or Gamay.
Stronger alpine cheese: here he prefers Heida for its sharp acidity.
Other Valais wines the blog mentions: Rèze, Marsanne (called Ermitage in Valais), Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge and Dôle. The blog says Dôle also suits the dried meat and charcuterie served before or with raclette.

Beer

For a change, Swissmilk suggests beer: many Swiss breweries make fruity IPAs as well as lager, and these go very well with raclette [1].

Alcohol-free

Tea and water: Raclette Suisse says herbal or black teas are popular with raclette «because they stimulate digestion» [3]. Swissmilk counts black tea and water among the classic drinks and lists herbal tea as an alcohol-free option [2].
Apple juice: Raclette Suisse suggests sparkling apple juice [3]; Swissmilk lists apple juice or apple spritzer [2].

Swissmilk also mentions sparkling wine [2], and Raclette Suisse a rosé [3].

FAQ

Which wine goes best with raclette? Swissmilk names Valais white wine as the traditional choice, with Fendant/Chasselas first on its list [1]; the original recipe recommends Fendant [6]. Swissmilk also lists Heida, Amigne, Petite Arvine, Humagne Blanche, Pinot Blanc, Malvoisie and Riesling-Sylvaner [1].

Can I drink red wine with raclette? Yes: a fruity, light red such as Pinot Noir, not aged in barriques [1][4].

What can I drink instead of alcohol? Herbal or black tea, water and apple juice or apple spritzer [2][3].

How cold should the white wine be? A little cooler than usual, because it warms up quickly next to the oven [1].

Sources (accessed 1 November 2026)

Swissmilk: «Welcher Wein zu Raclette?» (in German) – https://www.swissmilk.ch/de/rezepte-kochideen/tipps-tricks/welcher-wein-zu-raclette/
Swissmilk: «Raclette-Ideen: Beilagen, Tipps & Rezepte» (in German) – https://www.swissmilk.ch/de/rezepte-kochideen/raclette-ideen-beilagen-tipps-rezepte/
Raclette Suisse: «Preparation» – https://www.raclette-suisse.ch/en/raclette/preparation
Swiss Wine Promotion AG: «With Swiss wine throughout the year» (section «Fondue or raclette in March») – https://www.swisswine.com/en/news/with-swiss-wine-throughout-the-year
Swiss Wine Valais: «Accord mets-vin : quel vin avec la raclette ?» (in French) – https://swisswinevalais.ch/blog/deguster/vins-du-valais-raclette/
Raclette du Valais producers' body: «Originalrezept» (in German) – https://www.raclette-du-valais.ch/rezepte/originalrezept