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.
Jasci - Trebbiano 2025
A textured and invigorating organic white with flavors of white fruits and yellow fruits!
Château de l'Escarelle - Flora IGP Méditerranée 2025
Strawberry, redcurrant and melon: a rosé from the Var aged in stainless-steel tanks to keep it light.
Atamisque - Catalpa Chardonnay 2023
A fine and delicious Chardonnay with fine notes of stone fruits and fresh almonds, take note for lovers of Burgundy whites!
Tabalí - Pedregoso Gran Reserva Viognier 2022
An aromatic and mineral Viognier
460 Casina Bric - Ansi Langhe Arneis 2023
A unique white wine made from Arneis, an indigenous white grape variety from Piedmont
Dog Point - Sauvignon Blanc 2024
A Sauvignon Blanc, precise, of great finesse and beautiful aromatic intensity.
Bodegas Tobia - Cuvée Blanco
A white from Rioja with exotic and spicy notes
Pete's Pure - Chardonnay 2021
Apple, pear and a hint of hazelnut: a lively Chardonnay made for the table.
Hamilton Russell - Chardonnay 2024
An exceptional, long-lasting Chardonnay, among the best in the country
Barco Del Corneta - Cucú 2025
A white wine from northern Spain combining aromatic richness and minerality!
Holdvölgy - Hold and Hollo Dry 2023
A wine that seduces with its vibrant, modern and accessible style
Dog Point - Chardonnay 2023
A Chardonnay full of class, thanks to its great complexity and creamy texture.
Quinta do Vallado - Prima Branco 2024
A fresh, aromatic and mineral white wine produced in the heart of the Douro Valley
Greywacke - Sauvignon Blanc 2023
A Sauvignon Blanc by Kevin Judd, where the precision of the fruit meets the vibrant freshness of the best Marlborough terroirs
Dog Point - Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc 2021
An exotic and spicy sauvignon blanc, vinified in oak barrels for 18 months
Loredan Gasparini - Casabianca Asolo Prosecco Brut
A Prosecco overflowing with fruit, fine and elegant.
Ashbourne - Sandstone 2024
An innovative white blend that captures the most beautiful expression of the soils of the Hemel-en-Aarde valley
Shaw & Smith - M3 Chardonnay 2023
This wine embodies Australian elegance, offering a refined and complex expression of the unique terroir of the Adelaide Hills.
San Marzano - Tramari Rosé di Primitivo 2022
An elegant rosé made from Primitivo, a grape variety from the Puglia region
Simonsig - Chenin Blanc 2021
An intense and mineral Chenin blanc from Stellenbosch
Alamos - Chardonnay 2019
A lush, complex and convivial Chardonnay from high vineyards in Argentina
Santa Julia - La Oveja Torrontés Natural 2021
A Torrontés worked without added sulfur and without chemical inputs
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.