Which wine to serve with seafood?

Which wine to pair with seafood?

Iodized, subtle, sometimes delicately sweet or salty, seafood offers a range of textures and flavors that it's essential to respect when choosing a wine to accompany it. Whether it's a platter of oysters, shellfish au gratin or sautéed shrimp, the right pairing will sublimate both the dish... and the wine. Here's our advice on how to get it right, and make your seafood meals sparkle.

The great classics: dry, iodized white wines

White wines are unsurprisingly the most suitable for seafood. Their freshness, minerality and vivacity echo the iodine, crispness and finesse of seafood.

For oysters, clams and whelks:

Opt for very dry, saline whites with sharp acidity.

• Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie: a must, simple and perfect with oysters.

• Picpoul de Pinet: lively, lemony, it awakens shellfish.

• Chablis: purity, mineral tension, great elegance with raw seafood.

For shrimps, langoustines, grilled gambas:

Rounder, more aromatic whites.

• Viognier or Chenin sec: for their delicate fruitiness.

• Dry Riesling: very expressive, perfect with cooked seafood or light sauces.

• Sauvignon Blanc (Loire, Bordeaux blanc, New Zealand): notes of citrus, fresh herbs, ideal with marinated shrimp or ceviche.

For cooked seafood: think outside the box

When sautéed, au gratin or served with a sauce, seafood calls for more structured wines:

• Blancs de Bourgogne (unoaked Chardonnay): perfect balance between richness and freshness.

• Côtes-du-Rhône blanc, Clairette or Grenache blanc: more generous southern whites, suitable for slightly spicy dishes.

And what about rosés?

Dry rosés can also accompany a seafood platter, especially if it's varied and served in summer.

• Rosé de Provence: dry, floral, low in tannin, for a fresh, summery match.

• Tavel: more powerful, to accompany spicy shrimp or seafood soup.

• Rosé de Loire (Cabernet d'Anjou sec or Rosé de Sancerre): fruitier, it goes well with seafood salads or tartar.

Some winning combinations by species

Avoid

• Tannic or woody red wines, which completely unbalance seafood dishes.

• Overly sweet or alcoholic wines, which mask the fresh, iodized notes of the dish.

Conclusion

A successful pairing with seafood is based on the search for freshness, purity and elegance. Dry, mineral and lemony white wines are your best allies. And for bottles that are ready to drink at the ideal temperature, remember to store them in your wine cellar La Sommelière: freshness guaranteed, pleasure assured.