What wine goes with shellfish and seafood? Our pairings
564 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.
Bousquet - Unoaked Chardonnay 2022
A fresh and charming Chardonnay
Balassa - Tokaji Furmint Duck 2025
A vibrant and fruity version of Furmint, Hungary's iconic grape variety.
Tetramythos - Roditis nature 2024
A precise and refined expression of Roditis
Aneto - Branco Reserva 2023
An elegant, ample and distinguished white wine from the Douro Valley
Dorrance - Cuvée Anais 2023
A round and voluptuous Chardonnay that recalls what Burgundy does best!
Acústic Celler - Montsant Blanc 2023
A Catalan vintage made from old vines aged 40 to 80 years old
Crystallum - The Agnes 2024
A pure, elegant and balanced Chardonnay which once again demonstrates the great class of South African wines.
Wittmann - 100 Hügel 2024
A biodynamic riesling full of lightness and freshness straight from Germany
Castellucci Miano - Miano Catarrato 2025
A superb Silica white with exotic and mineral notes.
Tetramythos - Malagousia nature 2023
A Malagousia from the terroirs of the northern Peloponnese
Ritual - Pinot Noir 2020
A vintage full of elegance and extreme finesse that we know from Burgundy Pinot Noirs.
Lourens Family Wines - Lindi Carien 2023
A precise and complex blend from the emblematic terroirs of Cape Town
Panos Sarris - Panochori Vieilles Vignes 2023
Robola, the other great white grape variety of the Greek islands
Vesevo - Greco di Tufo 2024
A vintage marked by tension and minerality, typical of Tufo wines
Fuerza Natural - Sémillon 2021
A fresh and vibrant Sémillon from southern Chile, aged in century-old amphorae
Gilvesy - Martinus 2017
An organic white wine with a mineral, fresh and complex profile.
Bousquet - Virgen Chardonnay 2022
A round and fruity Chardonnay, organic and without added sulfur
David & Nadia - Topography White 2020
A Chenin full of elegance with seductive mineral notes
Van Volxem - Schiefer Riesling 2023
A vintage that will work wonders on your summer meals and seafood platters!
Valenciso - Valenciso Blanco 2021
A wine combining texture, balance, minerality and elegance.
Domaine de Tournon - Mathilda blanc 2019
A Viognier and Marsanne blend, aromatic, fresh and crunchy
Groot Constantia - Chardonnay 2021
A great Chardonnay regularly rewarded by international competitions
Thistle & Weed - Brandnetel 2022
The 2nd Chenin of the estate, from a single plot in Stellenbosch
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.