What wine goes with shellfish and seafood? Our pairings
507 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.
David Moreno - Rioja Blanco 2022
A Viura from old high-altitude vines in the Najerilla, fresh and fruity, with a texture refined on the lees.
Bodega Santa Ema - Chardonnay 2023
An unoaked Chilean Chardonnay bursting with tropical fruit, at once fresh, round and indulgent.
Trossen - Trabener Riesling Spätlese Trocken 2022
A dry Moselle Riesling from very ripe berries: tension, finesse and a minerality that runs straight and true.
Jordan Estate - Sauvignon Blanc Chameleon WO Stellenbosch 2025
A lively, vibrant Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc, between tropical fruit and the freshness of cut grass.
Saragat - Vermentino Isola dei Nuraghi 2024
A luminous, saline Sardinian Vermentino with scents of rosemary and elderflower, made for the sea.
Scions of Sinai - Gramadoelas Grenache Blanc WO Klein Karoo 2024
A Grenache Blanc from the Klein Karoo's schists, made without artifice: floral, saline and rarely elegant.
Pupillo - Pollio Moscato di Siracusa DOC 2022
The historic Muscat of Syracuse, delicately sweet, floral and fresh, which livens up an aperitif as well as cheese.
Vineka - Bianco Puglia IGP 2025
A lively, saline white from Puglia, with fresh herbs, citrus and tropical fruit, perfect as an aperitif.
Fantini - Pecorino Vanità Terre d'Abruzzo IGP 2025
A Pecorino from the hills of Ortona, fresh and mineral, with scents of yellow flowers and white peach.
Renzo Masi - Bianco di Toscana Poggerissi IGT 2025
A fresh, fruity Tuscan white to enjoy young, when apple and tropical fruit burst from the glass.
Polje - Friulano Collio DOC 2021
A finely crafted Friulano from the Collio, floral and lively, with the almondy finish typical of the grape.
Schloss Johannisberg - Rosalack Auslese 2021
A smooth, chiselled Riesling Auslese, where rich fruit meets the freshness of the Rheingau.
Schloss Johannisberg - Purpurlack BA (37.5cl) 2023
A sumptuous Riesling Beerenauslese, where the richness of candied fruit meets chiselled freshness.
Elena Walch - Gewurztraminer 2024
Lychee, rose and ginger: all the exuberance of Alpine Gewürztraminer.
Schloss Johannisberg - Grünlack Spätlese 2022
A medium-sweet, vibrant Riesling, where the sweetness of the fruit meets the mineral brilliance of the Rheingau.
Aneto - Aneto S Colheita Tardia 2014
A great liqueur that combines complexity, elegance and freshness.
Oremus - Late Harvest 2023
Luminous Tokaj sweetness, balanced by vibrant freshness.
Joh Jos Prüm - Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese 2022
A magnificent Mosel Riesling, combining refined sweetness, crystalline tension, and profound minerality.
La Vallée des Abeilles - Rancio 2016
A dry rancio from Banyuls with a saline, roasted patina. A bottle for contemplation, made for the table.
Domaine la Renarde - Bourgogne Aligoté Blanc 2023
A saline, clean Aligoté, made for the aperitif and shellfish.
Fernando de Castilla - Amontillado Antique
A great Amontillado from Jerez, dry and deep, where oxidative finesse meets a vibrant salinity.
Les Maîtres Vignerons de Saint-Tropez - Château Gabriel Côtes de Provence 2025
Red fruit, citrus and dried herbs, a Provence rosé that keeps its poise on the palate.
Terre à Terre - Crayères Vineyard 2021
A Wrattonbully Sauvignon Blanc, at once chiselled, deep and delicately oaked.
Ridge Vineyards - Grenache Blanc 2024
A precise Californian white, between orchard fruit and limestone minerality.
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.