Pairing wine with seafood: Expert advice and five perfect matches to try tonight

Sunny summer days mean it’s time for seafood, but which wine to choose? Here are some golden rules – and refreshingly offbeat pairing suggestions.

How to choose a wine to pair with seafood: Advice from sommeliers

Remember the sauce

Chablis with fish, claret with meat – haven’t we come a long way since then? The seafood and wine pairings on offer from sommeliers these days range from Junmai Daiginjo sake to fino Sherry and from Georgian orange wines to bright, cherry-packed Sicilian Frappato.

There’s method in their madness, of course, with tried and tested matches adding another layer of complexity and flavour to your seafood feast, each enhancing the other – or at least that’s the theory.

There are some rules to follow, of course. There’s no point ruining a fine white Burgundy with a fat Hebridean scallop dressed with a vinegar-spiked beurre blanc when an off-dry Riesling will deliver just the right zingy balance, the sweetness riffing with the sauce.

So, there’s rule number one: match the wine with the sauce rather than the protein.

Think about acidity, weight and texture

Riffing with wine and food is something Fabio De Nicola embraces. The sommelier at Italian seafood restaurant Baccalà near London Bridge often likes to create balance through contrast.

‘For example, using high acidity to cut through richer or oily fish, or saline and mineral notes to highlight freshness and natural sweetness,’ he says, while pairing a vibrant yet creamy 2020 Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva from Casa Lucciola with a main of grilled prawns and squid with black lime and bitter greens.

Charlie Edwards agrees. Until recently the food and beverage director at Tom Brown at The Capital in London’s Knightsbridge, which was awarded its first Michelin star this year for its creative menu, Edwards believes you should always consider acidity when it comes to matching seafood and wine.

‘Acidity keeps things clean and bright,’ he says. ‘Shellfish and meatier fish often sit beautifully with wines that have a bit more body and mineral tension, like a Chardonnay from Burgundy, whereas lean white fish really shines alongside crisp, aromatic styles.

‘And look at the weight and texture of the dish,’ he adds. ‘Lighter, delicately cooked seafood tends to work best with fresh, precise wines that won’t overwhelm it, while richer dishes – whether that richness comes from the fish or the sauce – can take something with more depth.’

How has your seafood been cooked?

Another thing to consider is the cooking technique, says Marcello Colletti, sommelier at London’s swankiest new seafood restaurant opening, Lilibet’s in Mayfair.

‘If your fish is grilled, that introduces a smoky element, so think light reds such as Chilean País, Jura Poulsard or Oregon Pinot Noir. Or if the fish is pan-fried in butter, then look at rich Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc.’

Seafood with sake

And when you’re struggling to find that perfect match for your seafood dish? Consider sake, suggests Michele Orbolato head of wine and sake at London Japanese fine dining restaurant Luna Omakase.

‘Certain styles of sake contain umami, which gives them broader and more flexible pairing options with seafood,’ he says. ‘This allows sake to complement textures and flavours that can sometimes challenge wine.’

The preferred pairing for Luna’s ambrosial signature dish O-Toro tartare – bluefin tuna belly tartare, aged wasabi and caviar? A sparkling sake. ‘Masumi’s Origarami works beautifully with the dish, offering delicacy, freshness and gentle palate-cleansing qualities,’ enthuses Orbolato.

Keeping it simple

Want to keep it simple? Then stick to the well-trodden path of pairing coastal wines with seafood dishes – hello, Txakoli and the like. And if you’re stuck with what’s on offer at the local supermarket, there’s always good old Albariño – it works every time.

Five great wine and seafood pairings to try

Native oysters with vintage blanc de blanc Champagne

The richness of the Chardonnay matches the meatiness of the oyster, while the oxidative qualities of the ageing contrast with the salinity.

Fish & chips with manzanilla Sherry

You can’t beat a light, fresh manzanilla Sherry with fish and chips – served chilled, its bone-dry, salty, zesty profile cuts through the rich batter and even stands up to the vinegar

Grilled sardines with Assyrtiko

A punchy fish, especially when barbecued and doused in lemon, needs a punchy coastal wine with lots of citrussy acidity to cut through the oiliness and smoke – step forward Santorini Assyrtiko.

Turbot pil-pil with Godello

A recent discovery – high-acidity, minerally, aromatic Galician Godello easily stands up to the now-popular rich, garlicky Basque sauce.

Seafood platter with English sparkling wine

With its racy acidity and distinctive flinty minerality, English fizz shines served with towering tiers of simply cooked seafood.