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.
Lourens Family Wines - Skuinskap Steen Chenin Blanc 2023
A refined Chenin Blanc, both luminous and deep, reflecting the terroir of the Cape mountains.
Koerner - Leko Blanc 2021
A Jura grape variety in the south of Australia, who would have thought it?
Bresolin - Vino Frizzante Col Fondo
A lively, authentic natural sparkling wine, where freshness, fine bubbles and ageing on the lees reveal the true character of Glera from the Colli Asolani.
Duckhorn - Chardonnay 2021
A rich and suave Chardonnay from the cool corners of Napa Valley
Zaku - Saké Megumi No Tomo
A Junmai Ginjo de Mie of great finesse, where the purity of the rice and aromatic freshness are expressed with balance and precision.
Balassa - Tokaji Furmint Szent Tamas 2021
One of the greatest single-plot vintages of Tokaji
Panos Sarris - Avithos muscat sec 2024
A fragrant and elegant muscat from pre-phylloxera muscat vines
Vineka - Verdeca 2024
A white wine that embodies the sunny and vibrant character of Puglia
Domaine Jean-François Bouthenet - Maranges Sur Le Chêne Blanc 2022
A white Maranges with a creamy texture, held by a lively acidity.
Undurraga - Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A fresh and crisp white wine ideal for your summer aperitifs or around a seafood platter!
Patz & Hall - Chardonnay Dutton Ranch 2018
A Chardonnay that embodies the finesse and complexity of the Russian River Valley
Duvernay - Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé Blanc 2024
Peach, jasmine and minerality: Rully Chardonnay in its premier cru version.
Château Sainte Michelle - Chardonnay 2022
Green apple, pear and peach, a Columbia Valley Chardonnay with measured roundness.
E's Vino - Chardonnay 2024
A Chardonnay from the high-altitude terroirs of Gualtallary, combining tension and minerality
Caelum - Fiano Gran Reserva 2020
Mediterranean brilliance in Andean terroir, combining freshness, complexity and timeless refinement
El Porvenir - Alto de Los Cuises Chardonnay 2022
A round and balanced wine, expressing the typicality of Tannat
Shaw & Smith - Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay 2021
The great precision of SHAW & SMITH single-plot Chardonnay
Matetic - Sauvignon Blanc EQ Coastal 2022
A taut Sauvignon Blanc, with aromas of citrus and sea spray.
Domaine Cachat-Ocquidant - Ladoix Blanc 2024
Ladoix in white, apple and pear on a chalk that holds the finish.
Alheit Vineyards - Broom Ridge 2019
A high-class Chenin blanc from old Swartland vines
Riebeek Cellars & Ryno Booysen - Percheron Blanc 2021
A vibrant and aromatic white wine for immediate pleasure
Stellenrust - Kleine Rust White 2020
A white full of freshness with intense notes of tropical fruits.
La Famille K - Le Père Blanc 2018
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.