Whether you’re in a coastal seafood restaurant or at home making your favorite ceviche, the right wine can elevate any meal from good to unforgettable. But the idea of choosing the “perfect” wine can feel overwhelming, especially when there are so many types of seafood dishes and just as many wines to match.
The key to mastering wine and seafood pairings is to keep things simple and balanced. Let’s dive into some recommendations that take the guesswork out of selecting wine to enjoy at your next seafood meal.
Seafood and Wine: A Match Made in Heaven
Before we get into specific pairings, it’s important to understand why wine and seafood are such an ideal match. Seafood is typically light, delicate, and full of fresh, briny flavors. To complement these characteristics, the beverage you select needs to be equally fresh and vibrant. It should provide acidity to cut through the richness of the seafood while enhancing the flavors and cleansing the palate. That’s where wine comes in.
Unlike heavier beverages like beer or cocktails, wine won’t overpower a dish. And while other drinks can mask the subtle flavors of seafood, the balanced acidity of wine makes it the perfect partner for creating a truly harmonious dining experience.
White Wine Is a Winner
You’ve probably heard the old rule: white wine with fish, red wine with meat. While it’s not set in stone, this advice works as a good starting point.
White wines have the right level of brightness and acidity to bring out the best in seafood. There’s also a sense of freshness associated with lighter white wines, making them a natural go-to for seafood that’s at its best when it’s fresh. Below are some classic seafood and white wine pairings.
Raw Oysters and Sparkling Wine
The bubbles in sparkling wines like Champagne and Prosecco literally pop against the briny freshness of oysters, while the wine’s acidity cuts through their creamy texture. Its minerality and subtle toastiness are a great match for raw oysters on the half-shell.
Grilled Lobster and Chardonnay
If you’re enjoying lobster, especially with a rich butter sauce, look for an oaked Chardonnay. These wines offer a balance of richness and bite that match the lobster’s rich flavors yet keep the meal from feeling too heavy.
Ceviche and Albariño
Although lobster might not be an everyday indulgence, this Latin American dish is easy to make any night of the week. Pair this 10-minute ceviche recipe from USA Today with a Spanish Albariño, and notice how the wine’s acidity, salinity, and stone fruit flavors enhance the dish’s flavor without competing with the citrus and herbs.
Scampi and Pinot Grigio
Scampi dishes, with their garlicky lemon sauces, love a crisp wine like Pinot Grigio. The wine’s high acidity and clean finish are perfectly suited to the zesty richness of scampi.
Sushi and Chablis
A wine with a hint of minerality works well with raw fish dishes. An unoaked wine like Chablis lends refreshing citrus notes without overwhelming sushi’s subtleties.
Asian Seafood Boil and Riesling
In Asian preparations, a sauce for seafood often incorporates bold flavors like ginger, soy sauce, and chili. That’s why a vibrant feast like a seafood boil needs something to challenge that intensity. The slight sweetness of Riesling tames the spiciness of a boil while bringing enough bite to shine through the rich flavors.
Reds That Work Well
While whites are a clear go-to when pairing wine with seafood, there are some instances where it’s a great idea to break the white wine rule. Especially with heartier dishes, a red wine can work exceptionally well.
Salmon and Pinot Noir
Salmon is a rich, oily fish that can stand up to a light-bodied red like Pinot Noir. The earthy undertones and bright red fruit flavors of Pinot Noir blend perfectly with the natural richness of grilled or roasted salmon.
Tuna and Cabernet Franc
Tuna, especially when served as a steak or seared rare, has a meaty texture. This makes it an ideal fish to serve with a solid red like Cabernet Franc, which features soft tannins and peppery notes that meld with the savory flavors of tuna.
A Word About Rosé
Blush-colored wines aren’t left out of the seafood pairing picture, either. The best wine with fish can be found anywhere on the varietal spectrum, and a dry Rosé often hits the perfect notes, particularly in Mediterranean-inspired seafood preparations.
Paella
Spain’s rich and hearty seafood, rice, and saffron dish is complex and full of flavor. Rosé’s red fruits and crisp acidity complement both the saffron’s earthiness and the seafood’s brininess yet never overpower the dish.
Grilled Octopus
Rosé’s flavors match perfectly with the smoky, charred exterior of a grilled octopus while balancing its rich, tender texture. When served with Mediterranean flavors like olive oil, lemon, and herbs, a dry Rosé contrasts with the dish while still letting the subtle seafood flavors shine through.
Final Pairing Thoughts
Regardless of what you’re eating, keeping a few tips in mind makes pairing wine and seafood a breeze. When in doubt:
Match the Weight of Your Dish: Lighter fare like grilled shrimp or ceviche pairs best with light-bodied wines, while richer dishes are a better match for full-bodied wines.
Think About Acidity: Wines with high acidity cut through rich seafood, especially when it’s fried, grilled, or served with a buttery sauce.
Remember Sparkling Wines: Although more often thought of as a toasting beverage, sparkling wines are remarkably versatile and go with almost any seafood.
Experiment: Pairing wine is subjective, and part of the fun is finding your own favorite combinations. Don’t be afraid to try different wines and see what works for you.
Armed with this information, you should never feel intimidated in choosing a wine to pair with seafood. Just remember that the goal is to improve your meal, not complicate it, so trust your palate and enjoy the pairing journey!
