Pairing Wine with Seafood
Seafood is generally quite healthy, with the National Health Service (NHS) recommending we have two portions of seafood per week. Pairing a beautifully-seasoned fish fillet or a decadent plate of shellfish with a glass of wine is a wonderful thing, although it’s not a ‘one bottle fits all’ solution. Check out our handy breakdown on wine and seafood pairings below for a steer in the right direction.
Seafood Pairing House Rules
- White wines tend to be best, although lighter reds and sparkling can be good options with some dishes
- Pair based on the texture and weight of the fish – the more delicate the fish, the more elegant the wine should be
- Consider the most prominent element of the dish (often the sauce) and pair accordingly
- Balance spicy with sweet, and salty with bubbles, as you typically would with other meats
- Sweeter dishes need a sweeter wine
- Consider the saltiness of saltwater fish (in comparison to freshwater fish) when choosing your wine
Types of Seafood
White Fish
Fish is predominantly a white meat and therefore pairs better with white wines. Some of the more common white fish out there include halibut, cod and haddock, sea bass, tilapia and white tuna (albacore).
White Fish House Rules
- Leaner, flakier white fish like tilapia and sea bass tend to be quite delicate and relatively mild in flavour. These pair better with light, refreshing whites
- More medium-textured fish like haddock and halibut tend to be thicker and more capable of withstanding more flavour-intense wine. Look for medium-bodied, aromatic white wines
Best Wines to Try
Reds — Light-bodied
Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Sangiovese, Zinfandel
Whites — Light to medium-bodied
Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
Classic Wine Pairings
Alsace Riesling and Sea Bass
Sea bass in a Chinese-style dish such as a stir fry should be paired with a more aromatic white. A dry, Alsatian Riesling works perfectly by providing a balance to the spices and soy in the dish.
Sauvignon Blanc and Halibut
Fresh halibut is quite delicate and clean. It has light sea flavours and works well with a little herby seasoning. These elements combined make it a perfect match with a fragrant and fresh Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc. The lightness of the wine complements the meat nicely and the grassy notes work well with the herbs and flavours.
Italian Pinot Grigio and Grilled Tilapia
Tilapia is a delicate fish that requires a lighter white pairing in order not to overpower the dish. When grilling, especially if adding some lemon, you should look for zesty and refreshing white to balance the delicate fish flavour. A Pinot Grigio from Italy will work perfectly.
Pink Fish
Quite a lot of fish is slightly pinkish in colour, but will actually turn white when cooked. Real pink fish like salmon and trout remains pink when cooked. The colour of the meat often indicates the most suitable colour wine to pair it with. With pink fish, you can actually use both white and red wines. The way it’s prepared and other ingredients or sauces tend to be key deciding factors too.
Pink Fish House Rules
- Pink fish pairings are often dependant on how it is being prepared and other ingredients of the dish
- Pink fish (especially salmon) is very flexible and fun to pair with. Whites, reds, rosés and sparkling can all be used
- Due to the fattiness of pink fish, go for medium-bodied whites or light reds (possibly medium reds if the dish is flavour intensive)
Best Wines to Try
Reds — Light-bodied
Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Sangiovese, Zinfandel
Whites — Light to medium-bodied
Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
Classic Wine Pairings
Chardonnay and Trout in Lemon Butter Sauce
Trout is perfect with a lemon butter sauce, which is superbly matched by a unoaked (or lightly oaked) chardonnay. Unoaked chardonnay from somewhere like France will be slightly fruity and provide nice acidity, helping to cut through the buttery sauce the trout is served in.
Beaujolais (Gamay) and Grilled Salmon
The subtle tannins, lightness and fruitiness of Beaujolais make it a fantastic pairing for grilled salmon, helping to bring out its rich and savoury flavours. It’s important to stick to lighter reds like a Beaujolais to avoid killing the salmon’s flavours (As reds with more structure and body feel like they compete with the oils in the fish, creating an unpleasant metallic taste!)
Meaty Fish
These fish will almost have a steak-like feel to them, firm and sturdy enough to hit the grill. Some of the meatier fish out there include tuna steaks, swordfish, monkfish and mackerel, and they will often be slightly oilier and higher in fat. Here are some guidelines on pairing with such fish.
Meaty Fish House Rules
- The fattier, oilier nature of the fish, as well as it’s generally bolder feel, will allow you to go for more full-bodied wines
- Both rich whites and light-medium reds can be used depending on the fish and the way it’s prepared
- If the fish (or dish as a whole) is notably salty, a sparkling wine such as Cava can provide a really good balance
Best Wines to Try
Reds — Light to medium-bodied
Pinot Noir (New World), Gamay
Whites — Rich, flavoursome
Chardonnay, Viognier, Grenache Blanc
Classic Wine Pairings
Pinot Noir and Tuna Steak
You only have to look at the colour of a tuna steak and a bottle of Pinot Noir to know they’re going to pair well. As a meaty fish, tuna is more than capable of standing up to lighter reds, and a New World Pinot Noir works perfectly. The fruitiness of the wine complements and enhances the flavours of the fish, especially if it’s cooked with some citrus or spices.
Chardonnay and Swordfish
Swordfish is meaty, full of flavour and capable of standing up to medium to full-bodied white wines. For this, an Old World Chardonnay from the Languedoc region fits the bill nicely. Chardonnay is a well-known pairing for meatier seafood and a safe bet for anyone unsure. The wine will be rich and flavoursome enough to match up to the steak-like swordfish without being overpowering.
Shellfish
Some of the most popular shellfish include squid, oysters, crab, clams and shrimp. They tend to have quite rich flavours that are complemented nicely by acidic whites. Here are some general rules to help get you started, with a couple of example pairings to get your claws into as well.
Shellfish House Rules
- The main things to consider when pairing are the specific shellfish, how it’s being cooked, its tenderness and any other ingredients/sauces being used
- A lot of shellfish craves a counter-balance of light, fruit flavours and adequate acidity, meaning an acidic white tends to pair well
- Sticking to medium-full bodied whites is recommended to prevent the wine being overpowered by any sauces or side dishes
- It’s always best to pair food with wine that can stand up to the intensity of the dish, as well as complement its flavours
Best Wines to Try
Whites — Light to medium-bodied
Muscadet, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, White Burgundy (Chardonnay)
Sparkling — Dry, crisp
Champagne, Cava
Classic Wine Pairings
Brut Champagne and Calamari (Squid)
Sparkling wines in general work really well with deep-fried foods, as the bubbles and citrus flavours cleanse your mouth of all the fats and oils while you eat. They also have a hint of sweetness to boot, which will add some much-required balance to the saltiness of fried squid. Once you’ve tried fizz with your calamari, you’ll never turn back!
Muscadet and Oysters
Muscadet is a light, white wine from the western Loire Valley, near the city of Nantes in France. The Nantes coast also produces some incredible meaty oysters, for which a crisp Muscadet is the perfect regional pairing. Oysters with their saltiness are very pleasantly complemented by the wines acidity and citrusy taste. Serve Muscadet slightly chilled for best results.
