Seafood for dinner? Here are the best wines to serve

We’re not so big on rules around here, especially when it comes to pairing wine with food. Mix and match whatever you like, we say. And if that means putting shiraz with sashimi or riesling with steak, who are we to judge? Having said that, there are times when a more compatible match can make all the difference, and that’s often the case when seafood is on the menu. If we’re spending good money on oysters, fish, prawns or something else, we want to make the most of it – and wine can do just that.  

If you’re wondering about the best wines to pair with seafood, the following tips can help you find a peak match every time. 

We could break down the best wines to pair with all kinds of seafood, but if it’s coated in a sauce or cooked with flavour-packed ingredients, they might not work so well. Instead, consider what else is going on in the dish. Fish, for example, is often served with a sauce. Is it a mix of lemon, butter, herbs and capers? Try a glass of semillon to match those citrus flavours, a restrained sauvignon blanc for herbaceous notes, or an oaked chardonnay to play off the butter.

Is it prawns in a spicy stir-fry? Look to an off-dry riesling or maybe even a gewürztraminer – they both have a lick of sweetness to offset the chilli. What about mussels in a tomato-based broth? That could suit a light to medium-bodied red with good acidity – pinot or sangiovese, perhaps. It’s never just about the seafood involved; look at the other flavours and elements in the dish, and tie in the wine from there. 

Battered fish (and the essential chips and potato cakes to go with it) is a different proposition to fish served as sushi and sashimi. The way that seafood is cooked – or not, in this case – can impact the choice of wine. Battered fish calls for something bright and refreshing to cut through the fried factor. This is where a good bottle of sparkling or Champagne can slot in beautifully. With its apple, citrus and toasty notes, and its lively fizz, sparkling is a perfect palate cleanser between bites.

We’d argue that sparkling also makes a tidy companion to sushi and sashimi, but if it’s raw, rich fish like tuna or salmon, you might prefer a wine with a heavier body and richer flavours to meet it. Think fiano or vermentino for white wines, or gamay or pinot noir if you want to branch into reds.   

We know we said that shiraz with sashimi is fine by us, but if you’re tucking into quality seafood, you’ll want a lighter wine so you can really taste it. Oysters are a great example. All those salty, briny and mineral flavours need to shine, so that calls for a vibrant, fresh white wine. Look to sparkling, semillon, riesling or lean chardonnay, as just four ideas. And if you’re partial to fresh-cooked prawns with nothing more than a squeeze of lemon or a traditional seafood sauce, rosé is a pretty perfect pairing.

As for seafood at the other end of the spectrum – sardines, salmon and tuna, or crab and crayfish cooked in rich sauces – they can go head-to-head with wines with bolder flavours and a bigger body. You could try a chenin blanc or viognier for a white wine, or perhaps a red wine from Sicily, like frappato or nerello mascalese.