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.
The Wine People - Miopasso Pinot Grigio 2024
A fresh and precise Italian Pinot Grigio, which highlights the purity of the fruit and drinkability.
Henschke - Julius Riesling 2024
A Riesling from Eden Valley of great purity, taut and crystalline, marked by freshness and aromatic precision.
Huber - Obere Steigen Grüner Veltliner 2024
A precise and vibrant Grüner Veltliner, marked by the freshness of the Traisental and the minerality of its limestone slopes.
House of Arras - Grand Vintage 2013
A great sparkling wine from Tasmania, combining maritime freshness, complexity and depth.
Axel Pauly - Weissburgunder Pinot Blanc 2021
A precise and vibrant Pinot Blanc from Mosel, where the freshness of the fruit meets a chiseled minerality.
Winery of Good Hope - Chardonnay Unoaked 2024
A pure, unoaked South African Chardonnay, combining coastal freshness, vibrant fruit and crystalline precision.
House of Arras - A by Arras Premium Cuvée
A precise and elegant Tasmanian sparkling wine, combining maritime freshness and the complexity of a great vintage.
Scions of Sinai - Chenin Blanc Granietsen 2024
A chiseled South African Chenin, carried by the maritime freshness and granite purity of Stellenbosch.
Malma - Rara Avis Chardonnay 2021
The high-end Chardonnay, from ungrafted vines, offering all the complexity of the Patagonian terroir
Garcés Silva - Bo-Ya Sauvignon Blanc 2023
A taut Sauvignon Blanc, with aromas of citrus and sea spray.
Caelum - Eclat Extra Brut- 2017
A refined high-altitude sparkling wine, combining freshness, complexity and elegance in an ethereal harmony
Doña Paula - Los Cardos Chardonnay 2024
Lively Chardonnay from Mendoza, citrus and exotic fruit, to drink well chilled.
Glenelly Estate - Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2022
Stellenbosch Chardonnay fermented in 500-litre barrels, quince and lime zest.
Cave des Amandiers - Petite Arvine En Anzé Saillon 2023
Born on the limestone of Saillon: a taut Arvine, ripe citrus and fresh rhubarb.
Tetramythos - Sauvignon blanc nature 2023
A high-altitude Sauvignon Blanc combining depth and aromatic intensity
Domaine de la Roche Aiguë - Hautes-Côtes de Beaune La Lave Blanc 2023
Lemon and flint in a white from the Hautes-Côtes, cut from pure freshness.
Domaine de la Roche Aiguë - Auxey-Duresses Blanc 2023
Auxey-Duresses in white, a straight Chardonnay that improves in the cellar.
La Scolca - Gavi deI Gavi Etichetta Bianca 2024
The benchmark Gavi, lively Cortese, green apple and limestone on the finish.
Cave des Amandiers - De Seyes Petite Arvine 2023
Aged in barrel without losing its edge: citrus, exotic fruit and wet stone.
Duvernay - Rully Les Cailloux Blanc 2024
Lemon, green apple, pebbly minerality: a straight, flavoursome Chardonnay.
Bertani - Soave Classico Sereole 2024
A floral, lively Soave, peach and apricot: Garganega without make-up.
Domaine Vaudoisey - Bourgogne Chardonnay 2023
Apple, pear and brioche, a round white Bourgogne kept straight by its mineral freshness.
Domaine Bonnardot - Ladoix Les Vris Blanc 2022
A white Ladoix that puts chalk and lemon ahead of the oak.
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.