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.
Creation - Chenin Blanc Cool Climate 2022
A Chenin produced on the cool soils of the east coast of the Cape
Clos Henri Vineyard - Estate Sauvignon 2025
Marlborough Sauvignon in a biodynamic version, grapefruit and passion fruit.
Niepoort - Redoma Branco 2025
Intense, mineral and precise, this white offers all the guarantees of a great vintage.
Te Mata Estate - Sauvignon Blanc 2022
With its exotic notes and freshness, this New Zealand Sauvignon is a delight.
Jean-Yves Péron - I Vicini Casa Rossa 2022
A direct-pressed rosé with an intensely delicious profile
Panos Sarris - V for Vostilidi 2022
The sun of Greece united in this vintage full of freshness!
Decoy - Sparkling Cuvee Brut
Fine bubbles from Sonoma, green apple and brioche: a lively brut to open the meal.
Benanti - Pietra Marina 2020
A large, white volcanic wine from Etna, taut, saline and deeply mineral.
Sakehitosuji - Saké Kinrei
A delicate and pure Junmai Ginjo, which combines aromatic finesse and silky texture to enhance Japanese cuisine and seafood dishes.
Tyrrell's - Winemakers Selection Vat 1 Semillon Landmark Release 2009
An emblematic Semillon from Hunter Valley, of great purity, combining chiseled freshness and remarkable aging potential.
Idee Fixe - Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs 2021
A precise and vibrant Australian blanc de blancs, which combines oceanic freshness and elegant effervescence.
El Porvenir - Torrontés Laborum de Parcela 2023
An intense and mineral wine, expressing all the typicality of Torrontés
Savage Wines - Never been asked to Danced 2024
A superb Chenin Blanc from old vines planted in 1956
Ravines - Riesling Dry 2023
A dry and racy Riesling from the Finger Lakes region
Domaine du Four Bassot - Mercurey Le Crêt Blanc 2023
Pear, peach and flint: a white Mercurey shaped by the limestone of the Crêt.
Malma - Rara Avis Pinot Noir 2021
The top-of-the-range Pinot Noir from Domaine Malma, made from ungrafted vines
Domaine la Renarde - Rully Les Plantenays Blanc 2023
A creamy white from the Côte Chalonnaise, spring flowers and toasted hazelnut.
Domaine Dubois - Côtes de Nuits Villages Les Monts de Boncourt Blanc 2022
Flint and candied lemon, a structured white from the Côtes de Nuits.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars - Karia 2021
A Napa Chardonnay that plays on lemony freshness over a creamy texture.
Joostenberg - Chenin Blanc 2019
A South African Chenin blanc with notes of white fruit and the chalky character typical of the Paarl vineyards
Mount Pleasant - Elizabeth 2016
An Australian Sémillon emblematic of its region: finesse, acidity and minerality are essential.
Kistler - Les Noisetiers Chardonnay 2019
Kistler's Burgundian signature applied to Californian Chardonnay: depth and liveliness.
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.