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.
Gavalas Winery - Enalia 2023
A precise and saline Santorini white, which purely expresses the mineral tension of Assyrtiko facing the Aegean Sea.
Giuseppe Quintarelli - Bianco Secco 2024
A Valpolicella white that is saline, aromatic, and precise, a singular signature from Giuseppe Quintarelli.
Au Bon Climat - Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay 2022
A cool-climate Chardonnay combining depth, tension, and precision, emblematic of the Sanford & Benedict coastal vineyard.
Kusuda - Dry Riesling 2024
A dry and crystalline New Zealand Riesling, where sharp freshness meets aromatic precision of great purity.
Simcic Marjan - Cru Selection Ribolla 2023
A Ribolla of terroir, precise and saline, which finely expresses the mineral freshness of the Brda hills.
Simcic Marjan - Opoka Cru Chardonnay 2017
A great Slovenian Chardonnay of terroir, ample and taut, carried by the minerality of the opoka.
Viu Manent - Secret Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A precise and vibrant Chilean Sauvignon, where oceanic freshness meets an intense and pure aromatic profile.
Ten Minutes by Tractor - Estate Chardonnay 2021
A precise and saline maritime Australian Chardonnay, where freshness meets a beautiful woody complexity.
Huber - Terrassen Grüner Veltliner 2024
A terraced Grüner Veltliner combining incisive freshness, aromatic precision and a mouthwatering finish.
House of Arras - Blanc de Blanc
A precise and vibrant Tasmanian Blanc de Blancs, which combines oceanic freshness and the complexity of long aging on lees.
Gonzalo Guzmán - Alba de Los Andes Albariño 2022
A finely crafted Albarino, with lemony, vegetal and mineral flavors.
Jean-Yves Péron - I Vicini Cortese 2022
The Cortese is honored in its most natural version
Atamisque - Vicomte de Rochebouet Extra Brut
An Argentinian traditional-method sparkling wine, fresh brioche and white flowers.
Torres - Pazo Das Bruxas Torre Penelas 2022
Albariño from Rías Baixas, with peach and nectarine on a lively, mineral palate.
Domaine Bonnardot - Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Blanc "Les Frangines" 2024
A high-altitude Chardonnay, lively in fruit, only lightly touched by oak.
Domaine Cachat-Ocquidant - Beaune Mosnières Blanc 2024
Peach and honeysuckle on a round palate: white Beaune just as we like it.
Valdrinal - Verdejo Santa Maria 2023
A lively, fragrant Verdejo, pear, white flowers and a hint of fresh herbs.
Sylvain Langoureau - Saint Aubin 1er Cru Le Champlot Blanc 2024
Le Champlot as a premier cru: chalky minerality, almond and ripe peach.
Domaine du Mont d’Or - Johannisberg Mont d’Or 2020
Valais Sylvaner in silky attire, pear and white flowers on a chalky background.
Santa Margherita - Spumante Rosé
Fine bubbles, red fruit and a hint of toast for the aperitif.
La Scolca - Gavi dei Gavi Etichetta Nera 2024
La Scolca's black label, a deeper Cortese that benefits from ageing.
Doña Paula - Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Citrus and herbaceous notes, a lively Argentinian white to serve well chilled.
El Porvenir - Amauta Torrontés 2024
A round and balanced wine, expressing the typicality of Tannat
Domaine Virolys - Viré Clessé Blanc 2024
A Viré-Clessé Chardonnay aged on the lees: pear and peach in a creamy texture.
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.