Our Seafood Friendly Wine Picks

Most of you who shop with us know they we just love giving suggestions on food and wine pairings. So when I told the staff I’d like to do a series on their picks for specific foods and activities, I received some pretty quick answer for what they like to drink with seafood.

Seafood season here in Louisiana kicks into high gear right after Mardi Gras. Partially because of Lent and maybe a little to do with warmer temps and crawfish availability, this time of year is heaven for seafood lovers. How lucky are we to have sources for everything from blue crab to shrimp, crawfish, and oysters, not to mention the abundant selection of fish from drum, to red snapper, redfish, sheepshead, mahi mahi and more?

If we are talking about general pairing “rules”, things are pretty simple… light flaky fish tends to like crisp, clean whites. Medium bodies fishes can pair well with fuller bodied whites while heavier more oily fish can even pair with reds. Sauces can throw a wrench into that theory so I’ve added some extra info on what will work with our picks. So, here are some of our favorites with a couple of pairing ideas for each…

Jessie…answered quickly with the La Raia Gavi with its flavors of lemon, green apple, grapefruit abd toasted almond, the Cortese grape from Piedmont is a super versatile wine to pair with foods inspired by Northern Italian coastal cuisine. Think pesto pastas and seafood dishes with basil and lemon - It also works well with lots of different preparations - Sushi, Seafood Risotto, Grilled Fish in a lemon sauce, Salade Niçoise, Spaghetti and Clams, Shellfish and more. Again, the versatility makes it an easy, go-to pairing.

Kimi…chimed in next with Argyros Assyrtiko from Santorini. As you can imagine, Assyrtiko pairs with almost anything coming out of the sea. Complex flavors with searing acidity and ridiculous minerality make this wine a natural pairing with sardines, grilled fish, fried calamari - grilled octopus with a drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon are absolutely superb with Assyrtiko. Oysters and lobster are a no brainer, as well fried seafood and shellfish, garlic shrimp, and any kind of seafood salads with crab or shrimp.

Erin…very decisively chose the Guy Robin Chablis from Burgundy. Its clean palate of crushed shells, lemon zest, and white pepper is great with all kinds of raw shellfish, especially oysters; simply cooked shellfish dishes like spaghetti alla vongole or moules marinières, classic fish and chips, and snails with garlic butter are heaven on earth!

Bridget…went right for Bedouet Muscadet when I asked her on Saturday. Lean, green, with a briny, citrusy quality, Loire Valley Muscadet is loved as an excellent food pairing wine. But, Muscadet’s true calling is matched with seafood, particularly if you’re a fan of bivalves. In Nantes, a favorite regional dish, called Moules Frites, is made by flash cooking mussels in a splash of Muscadet wine and tossing them with shallots and green herbs and French fries. Oysters, snails, scallops, and even North Atlantic Salmon can work if the wine is aged sur lie.

Beth…for me seafood is another great excuse to pop a bottle of Champagne! Leaner Blanc de Blancs tend to work best and the Champagne Guiborat Prisme 15 Grand Cru is a natural choice. From the Cote de Blanc, the Guiborat’s citrus-mineral accents, bright acidity, and creamy texture make it absolutely perfect with lobster, fresh oysters and other shellfish, crab cakes, ceviche, crab quiche and fried calamari.

So there you have it! If you are interested in any of these, just ask on your next visit. Stay tuned, next week we’ll be featuring our favorite wines for Crawfish!