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.
Christophe Abbet - Marsanne 2019
An old-vine Marsanne from Valais, broad and chiselled. Granite gives it its mineral brilliance.
Moss Wood - Chardonnay 2022
A great Margaret River Chardonnay, at once sunny, taut and deeply elegant.
Bodegas Tradición - Amontillado VORS + 30 ans NV
A VORS Amontillado of great finesse, combining saline depth, oxidative complexity, and an interminable finish.
Chappaz - Grain Ermitage 2023
A spacious and mineral Valaisan Hermitage, where the Marsanne expresses all its alpine depth.
Atamisque - Atamisque Chardonnay 2024
A first-class Argentinian Chardonnay from high altitude vineyards!
Axel Pauly - Lieserer Niederburg-Helden Riesling Kabinett 2022
An airy, fruity and chiselled Mosel Kabinett. Fine sweetness meets the energy of slate.
Benanti - Etna Bianco 2025
A precise, saline volcanic white. All the freshness of Carricante on Etna.
Hahn - Chardonnay 2022
A generous and balanced Californian Chardonnay, where coastal freshness meets rich fruit.
Joh Jos Prüm - Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese 2022
A precise and crystalline Moselle Riesling, where controlled sweetness meets vibrant mineral freshness.
Dr Loosen - Erdener Treppchen Kabinett 2024
A precise and ethereal Mosel Riesling, where delicate sweetness meets crystalline freshness.
Nyetimber - Rosé NV
A delicate English rosé, between red fruit and pastry notes.
Weingut Bründlmayer - R. Zobinger Heiligenstein Lyra 2019
A terroir Riesling, incisive and deep, where stone meets the brilliance of the fruit.
Nyetimber - Cuvée Prestige 1086 rosé 2010
A high-precision English rosé, between intense red fruit and chalky elegance.
Nyetimber - Classic Cuvée NV
The elegance of English bubbles, between chalky freshness and toasty indulgence.
Chamisal - SLO Chardonnay 2021
A coastal Chardonnay from San Luis Obispo, combining maritime freshness, vibrant fruit and subtle oak.
Tyrrell's - Winemakers Selection Vat 47 Chardonnay 2021
An iconic Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley, combining precision, freshness and aromatic depth.
Seghesio Family Vineyards - Sonoma Chardonnay 2022
A Sonoma Chardonnay combining rich, flavorful fruitiness, freshness and aromatic precision.
Cullen - Kevin John Chardonnay 2023
A precise and saline biodynamic Chardonnay from Margaret River, where the purity of the fruit meets an elegant woody complexity.
Archery Summit - Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2021
A Chardonnay from Dundee Hills that combines freshness, precision and elegance, carried by the finesse of Oregon's volcanic soils.
Elephant Hill - Reserve Chardonnay 2016
A Chardonnay from Hawke's Bay combining precision, maritime freshness and elegant woody richness.
Jordan Estate - Chardonnay Nine Yards 2023
A precise, ample and chiseled South African Chardonnay that finely expresses the best granite slopes of Stellenbosch.
Bertani - Soave Classico Original Vintage 2022
Garganega from volcanic soils: green apple and almond, with real tension.
Domaine Edmond Monnot - Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc 2023
A Hautes-Côtes Chardonnay that puts freshness before oak.
Hammeken Cellars - El Paso del Lazo Rosé 2024
A fresh and delicious Spanish rosé, driven by fruit and conviviality.
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.