Pairing Wine with Seafood
                     Pairing Wine           with Seafood       
Website: https://
bradleysfish.com
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
1  White wines tend to be best, although lighter reds and sparkling can be good options with some dishes
2 Pair based on the texture and weight of the fish – the more delicate the fish, the more elegant the wine should be
3 Consider the most prominent element of the dish (often the sauce) and pair accordingly
4 Balance spicy with sweet, and salty with bubbles, as you typically would with other meats
5 Sweeter dishes need a sweeter wine
6 Consider the saltiness of saltwater fish (in comparison to freshwater fish) when choosing your wine
Types of 
Seafood
White Fish Pink Fish
Fish Meat Shell Fish
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
1 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
2 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
1 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.
2
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 
3 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
1 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 
2 with. Whites, reds, rosés and sparkling can all be used
3 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
1 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.
2 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
1 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
2 Both rich whites and light-medium reds can be used depending on the fish and the way it’s prepared
3 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
1 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.
2 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
1 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, 
2 meaning an acidic white tends to pair well
3 Sticking to medium-full bodied whites is recommended to prevent the wine being overpowered by any sauces or side dishes
4 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
Brut1 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!
2 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.