What wine goes with shellfish and seafood? Our pairings
501 wines to serve with shellfish and seafoodWith shellfish and seafood, serve a dry, mineral, saline white wine: Chardonnay, Albariño, Assyrtiko, Sauvignon Blanc or a fine brut sparkling wine. These wines highlight the briny sweetness of langoustines, lobster or prawns.
For a cold seafood platter, liveliness comes first: an Assyrtiko from Greece or an Albariño from Spain. Grilled lobster or spiny lobster in butter calls for a fuller Chardonnay, from Burgundy or South Africa. Our article on wine and seafood pairings covers each shellfish in detail.
Charles de Fère - Crémant de Bourgogne Chardonnay Brut Grande Cuvée
A crémant made entirely from Chardonnay: white flowers, green apple, a fine, long mousse.
Cave Saint-Pierre - Fendant Du Valais 2022
A straight, saline Chasselas, green apple, almond: Alpine freshness served without fuss.
Storm - Vrede Chardonnay 2024
A terroir Chardonnay, at once broad, lemony and deeply mineral.
Recaredo - Terrers 2020
A Corpinnat with long ageing potential, precise and intensely Mediterranean.
Tapanappa - Tiers Vineyard 1.5 M 2022
A Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay, at once intense, chiselled and deeply textured.
Villa Bucci - Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio 2024
A precise, saline Verdicchio, carried by an elegant almond finish.
Bodegas Menade - Nosso 2021
A natural Verdejo, generous and lively, off the beaten track of Rueda.
Luis Pato - Espumante Vinha Pan 2022
A Brut Nature from Baga, taut and deeply food-friendly. Bairrada in a sparkling wine of character.
Marco de Bartoli - Sole e Vento Bianco 2023
Two Sicilian terroirs brought together in a fresh, saline and intensely Mediterranean white.
Nyetimber - Blanc de Blancs 2015
A chiselled English blanc de blancs, between lemony freshness and brioche-like depth.
Ridge Vineyards - Montebello Chardonnay 2020
A mountain Chardonnay, at once broad, mineral and vibrant.
Villa Oliveira - Encruzado 2019
A deep, chiselled Encruzado from the Dão, between rich texture and granite freshness.
Luis Pato - Vinha Formal 2023
A great white from Bairrada, made taut by its minerality and fleshed out by precise ageing.
David & Nadia - Chenin blanc 2022
A Swartland Chenin that is at once generous, taut and mineral. The precision of old vines in the glass.
Marco de Bartoli - Pietranera Pantelleria 2023
A dry Zibibbo from Pantelleria, luminous and saline. The volcanic expression of the grape.
Ladeiras Do Xil - Gaba do Xil O Barreiro 2023
A fresh, textured Galician terroir white. Here Godello gains an elegant mineral depth.
Ridge Vineyards - Estate Chardonnay 2023
A mountain Chardonnay, ample and luminous. Californian freshness in a finely oaked expression.
Nanclares y Prieto - Nanclares 2022
An Albariño with character, made taut by the Atlantic. Saline, textured and luminous.
Recaredo - Reserva Particular Corpinnat 2014
A great Mediterranean sparkling wine, shaped by time. Limestone freshness, depth from the lees and raw precision.
Quinta da Carolina - Xis Branco 2021
A fresh, mineral white from the Douro, carried by luminous fruit.
Weingut Bründlmayer - G. V. Ried Lamm Erste Lage 2021
A Grüner Veltliner of great depth, where the breadth of loess meets vibrant mineral freshness.
David & Nadia - Aristargos 2022
A great white from the Swartland, textured and deeply saline. Rich fruit meets remarkable tension.
Villa Oliveira - 2e Edição NV
A deep, taut white from the Dão, carried by the granite freshness of the Serra da Estrela.
Domaine Bonnardot - Hautes Côtes de nuits Rosé 2023
Pinot Noir rosé, raspberry and redcurrant, tightened by a fine minerality.
Which wine for which shellfish?
Each kind of seafood has its own texture and flavour. Here is how to choose the right bottle.
| Dish | Wines to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Seafood platter oysters, whelks, brown shrimps, clams | Assyrtiko, Albariño, brut sparkling wine | Salinity and liveliness embrace the briny flavours and refresh the palate between shellfish. |
| Raw oysters rock oysters, flat oysters | Sauvignon Blanc, mineral Chardonnay, dry sake | A taut white or a dry sake extends the marine note of the oyster. |
| Grilled lobster or spiny lobster Breton lobster, spiny lobster in butter | Chardonnay from Burgundy or South Africa | The broad texture answers the firm, sweet flesh, and the butter finds its echo. |
| Langoustines and king prawns langoustines with mayonnaise, flambéed king prawns | Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Grenache Blanc | Their fruity roundness brings out the natural sweetness of the flesh. |
| Crab and spider crab brown crab, spider crab, crab rillettes | Dry Riesling, Furmint | Chiselled acidity lightens the mayonnaise and highlights the delicacy of the crab. |
| Scallops seared, as carpaccio, in butter | Finely oaked Chardonnay, Sémillon | A silky white goes with the melting texture and nutty flavour. |
| Mussels and cooked shellfish moules marinières, clams with garlic | Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc | A lively white echoes the cooking wine, garlic and parsley. |
| Asian-style prawns prawns stir-fried with ginger, prawn pad thai | Riesling, Torrontés | Their aromatic profile goes with ginger, lemongrass and mild chilli. |
For oysters, our guide what wine goes with oysters compares each variety.
Salinity above all
With crustaceans, we look for wines that taste of the coast. Assyrtiko from Greece is the perfect example: sharp, almost salty, it brings brightness to a seafood platter. Spanish Albariño plays in the same register with more generous fruit, ideal with mussels or clams.
For lobster and spiny lobster, it is time for age-worthy Chardonnays. The ones from Hamilton Russell in South Africa or Duckhorn in the United States offer a buttery texture and a fresh finish that enhance the flesh. Feeling adventurous? The dry Furmints from Balassa, in Hungary, combine tension and substance: a treat with brown crab or langoustines. For a festive platter, the Vino Frizzante Col Fondo from Bresolin brings rustic, refreshing bubbles.
Three pairings to try
Seafood platter and Assyrtiko. A salinity that extends each shellfish.
Grilled lobster and Hamilton Russell Chardonnay. The roundness of the wine answers the butter and the sweet flesh.
Brown crab with mayonnaise and dry Furmint. A lively acidity that elegantly lightens the sauce.
The Wine Wanderer Team
Your questions about wine and shellfish
What white wine goes with seafood?
Go for a dry, lively, saline white: Albariño, Assyrtiko, Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling. These wines go with the briny taste of shellfish and the sweetness of prawns. For seafood cooked with butter or cream, step up in roundness with a Chardonnay or a Chenin Blanc.
What wine goes with lobster?
With lobster, serve a full-bodied, fresh Chardonnay, ideally from Burgundy, South Africa or the United States. Its texture answers the firm, sweet flesh, and its oak ageing supports the butter or sauce. For cold lobster in a salad, a livelier white, such as a dry Riesling, brings lightness.
What wine goes with a seafood platter?
For a platter, choose a taut, mineral white that goes with everything on it: Assyrtiko, Albariño or Sauvignon Blanc. A brut sparkling wine also works very well and adds a festive touch. The key: a fresh, saline wine that lets both the oyster and the langoustine shine.
Champagne or white wine with shellfish?
Both go very well. A Champagne or a brut sparkling wine enhances a cold platter and prawns as an aperitif thanks to its fine bubbles. A fuller white, such as a Chardonnay, takes over with hot crustaceans, grilled or in sauce. Discover our sparkling wines too.
What wine goes with langoustines?
With langoustines, choose a white that is both round and fresh: Chenin Blanc, Viognier or lightly oaked Chardonnay. Their delicate, sweet flesh loves fruity wines. Poached and served with mayonnaise, they also appreciate the liveliness of a dry Riesling or an Albariño.
At what temperature should wine be served with seafood?
Serve lively whites and sparkling wines between 7 and 9 °C for a platter, and richer Chardonnays between 11 and 13 °C with lobster or scallops. An ice bucket on the table keeps the bottle at the right temperature throughout the meal.