What wine goes with shellfish and seafood? Our pairings
171 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.
Ata Rangi - Pōtiki Chardonnay 2024
A Chardonnay from the Martinborough Terrace, aged on the lees, at once deep, saline and very fresh.
Felton Road - Block 6 Chardonnay 2024
A biodynamic Chardonnay from Bannockburn, from old north-facing vines, vibrant and saline.
Mount Pleasant - Lovedale Semillon 2018
The Semillon from the Lovedale vineyard planted in 1946, matured in bottle, rich and of rare length.
Mount Pleasant - Estate Grown Semillon 2022
A Semillon from the Hunter Valley, light and lively, from Mount Pleasant's historic vineyards.
Crystallum - Ferrum Chardonnay 2024
A Chardonnay from Shaw's Mountain, near Hermanus, taut, floral and remarkably fine.
Alheit Vineyards - Huilkrans 2024
An old bush-vine Chenin Blanc from the Skurfberg, on red sands, powerful and luminous.
Alheit Vineyards - Monument Sémillon 2024
A Sémillon from a historic Franschhoek vineyard planted in 1936, broad, waxy and comforting.
The Sadie Family - Mev. Kirsten 2024
An old-vine Chenin Blanc from the Jonkershoek Valley, broad, dense and built for ageing.
The Sadie Family - Rotsbank 2024
A finely chiselled Chenin Blanc, born on a granite slab in the Paardeberg, taut and remarkably long.
Cave des Amandiers - Heida 2020
A savagnin from Valais, from Fully and Leytron, aged in foudre, floral, exotic and beautifully lively.
Blandy's - Colheita Sercial 2009
A dry, saline Sercial from the 2009 vintage, between candied citrus, dried fruit and iodine touches.
Blandy's - Colheita Sercial 2010
A dry, lemony colheita with notes of candied citrus and saffron, bottled in 2023.
Blandy's - Verdelho 40 ans
A medium-dry Madeira with an average age of forty years, vibrant and saline, with notes of cedar and candied fruit.
Blandy's - Sercial 10 ans
A dry, lively Madeira, a blend with an average age of ten years, with notes of candied citrus and almond.
Antonio Madeira - Branco 2023
A white from the Dão led by Encruzado, fresh and saline, with notes of yellow fruit and flowers.
Antonio Madeira - A Liberdade 2023
A high-altitude white from the Serra da Estrela, concentrated and crystalline, made with no added sulphites.
Niepoort - Caracolete 2015
A white from Bairrada aged five years in tank, taut, mineral and scented with orange blossom.
Niepoort - Redoma Reserva Branco 2023
Niepoort's great historic white, born of vines over 80 years old on the high-altitude schists of the Douro.
Niepoort - Tiara 2023
A granite-grown white at 600 metres in the Douro, chiselled, herbal and remarkably pure.
Quinta de la Rosa - White Port
An extra dry white port from Quinta de la Rosa, fresh, exotic and perfect as an aperitif.
Anselmo Mendes - Curtimenta 2023
An alvarinho from Monção e Melgaço macerated on its skins and barrique-aged, broad, mineral and distinguished.
Castellucci Miano - Shiarà Catarratto 2020
A high-altitude catarratto from the Contea di Sclafani, lively, saline and scented with citrus.
Giulia Negri - Langhe Chardonnay La Tartufaia 2023
A high-altitude chardonnay from La Morra, taut and creamy, shaped by sixteen months of ageing on the lees.
Gaia - Nychteri 2024
Gaia's Nychteri: a barrel-fermented Assyrtiko from Santorini, smoky, mineral and generous.
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.