The Best Wine Pairing for Seafood

Pairing wine with food is a tricky endeavor. As a guide, the experts at Underground Cellar discuss how you can pair wine with seafood.

White wines

When serving seafood, it's best to go with white wine for its sweeter presentation than reds and, therefore, less likely to overpower the meal. White wines also tend to be lighter in weight, meaning you can drink more of them before feeling full.

The experts advise that it is best to avoid oaky chardonnays when pairing wine with seafood because they take attention away from the meal. On the other hand, lighter wines such as sauvignon blanc and viogniers are excellent matches for your dish since they can help bring out delicate flavors that you wouldn't otherwise taste.

Red wines

Red wine is an excellent choice for seafood as long as you choose those not too heavy.

The experts recommend that you pair wine with seafood by starting with the protein first and then choosing your accompanying wine based on its flavor profile. If the protein has a sweet or salty taste, go for either full-bodied reds such as merlots or zinfandels or medium-bodied reds such as pinot noirs and French Carmenere. For very fresh seafood with a mild flavor, you can match it with light-bodied wines such as pinot blanc and Gamay.

Sparkling wine

Although not your best bet, many experts agree that you can pair wine with seafood by starting with the protein first and then choosing your accompanying wine based on its flavor profile. If the protein has a sweet or salty taste, you can match it with either light-bodied wines such as pinot blanc and Gamay or dry sparkling wines where the bubbles make the dish seem lighter, according to the experts at Underground Cellar.

Online wine marketplace Underground Cellar posts exclusive offers to Underground Cellar members. Offers are comprised of a few similar wines of different price points, and members only pay for the lowest priced bottle in the offer. Members then have the chance to be upgraded to the higher-priced bottles. Learn more about Underground Cellar here.