Pairing wine with seafood is all about harmony and emphasizing individual flavors. We at Cellar Beast create wines with different profiles aimed at complimenting flavors, textures, and even the more delicate notes of the sea. From the creamy fat of salmon to the salty bite of oysters, wine pairing is a surefire way to enhance your seafood. A couple of our portfolio wines are an excellent choice for seafood pairings. Also, read our Guide to Wine and Food Pairing.
Salmon: A Rich Canvas for Chardonnay or Pinot Noir
Salmon is a buttery fish with rich flavors suited to wines of structure and grace. I want to introduce our Chardonnay Reserve if you want a classic salmon pair. Baked apple, vanilla, and creaminess combine with the flavors of this wine with salmon’s natural flavors without overpowering it. The Chardonnay Reserve has just the right acidity to bring out salmon's butteriness and sometimes oiliness with each bite.
Pinot Noir Reserve is an excellent option for salmon recipes, salmon dishes such as crispy salmon, herb-crusted salmon, roasted salmon, grilled or smoked salmon steak, or any variety of salmon preparations for oily fish. Our Pinot Noir carries bold fruit flavors of red berries, some earthiness, and moderate tannins, pairing with salmon’s savory, smoky characteristics. It balances out each flavor, bringing out the finest in each one. As the Court of Master Sommeliers suggests, a Pinot Noir with moderate tannins complements the texture of richer seafood like salmon and balances its flavors perfectly.
Shellfish: Elevate with Sparkling Blanc de Noir
When recommending wine with shellfish, I consider how delicate the flavors are. Raw oysters, shrimp, and lobster need a wine that can enhance the delicate saltiness of the dish without making it too rich, and our Blanc de Noir does just that. Dark-skinned grapes characterize this light sparkling wine with crisp acidity, offering red berries and a minerality that contrasts with mollusk-rich shellfish's savory flavors.
Blanc de Noir’s whitish bubbles and refreshing acidity make it the perfect accompaniment to oysters, lobster, and shrimp cocktails. The bubbles purify the mouth and make every bite feel as fresh as the last. Whether you’re presenting iced oysters with lemon or molten lobster with butter, Blanc de Noir gives the dish brightness and a certain flair.
Oysters being prepared for Cellar Beast's wine pairing dinner with Ash Chase.
White Fish: A Clean Slate for Sauvignon Blanc
Delicate whites like halibut, sea bass, and cod can have a kind of dry light flavor that goes well with white wines like our Sauvignon Blanc, as noted by Wine Folly. The bright acidity in this white wine is the perfect match for the fruit flavor profile of citrus, green apple, and mineral flavors that bring out the delicate flavors and mild flavors of the fish without obscuring them.
The acidity of Sauvignon Blanc is great with fish cooked with lighter spices or herbal notes like dill, parsley, and thyme. Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp palate-cleansing wine that will go with anything from pan-fried to grilled. It even goes well with any lemon, fresh herb, or cream sauce you might be planning to drizzle over your meal, making the citrus smell of Sauvignon Blanc easy to integrate.
Adding to this, Pinot Gris (the French rendition of Pinot Grigio, although Pinot Grigio's carry lighter citrus notes and higher acidity) is a nice alternative with its slightly smokier and fruitier flavors. The subtle pear, melon, and floral flavors of a Pinot Gris, like the one from Cellar Beast, balance the delicate flavors of white fish with a little roundness. That makes it an ideal partner for dishes with creamy or buttery sauces or garnished with a bit of ginger or coconut for something exotic. Pan-seared or poached, Pinot Gris assures an unctuous and balanced pairing that leaves the fish alone.
Spicy or Asian-Inspired Seafood: Taming Heat with Gewürztraminer
Hot food, especially spicy seafood or Asian food, should be controlled. And that’s why we go with our Gewürztraminer on those occasions. The mild sweetness of Gewurztraminer, tropical fruits like lychee, and a dash of ginger are just the right balance against heat and spicy notes.
Think hot tuna rolls, Thai shrimp, or seafood chili and garlic sauces. These notes are balanced by the Gewerztraminer, which adds dimension and richness without intensity. So that you can enjoy the boldness of the food without drowning out the wine. You could even have Gewürztraminer’s floral notes underpin other aromas – lemongrass or ginger – for the best wine with fish pairings.
Tuna Steaks: A Bold Match for Rosé or Pinot Noir
Tuna steaks are the perfect partner for a variety of wines thanks to their fleshy, robust flavor and texture. To keep things light, our Rosé goes well with the tuna, with its sweet strawberry, raspberry, and hint of citrus piercing through the thickness of the meat. It’s particularly good with grilled or seared tuna, the savory finish from the wine complimenting the smoke of the dish.
But for a more concentrated match, we recommend a glass of wine from our Pinot Noir Reserve, with its earthy aromas and berry flavors that pair nicely with tuna’s umami complexity. With Asian-inspired soy glaze, pepper crust, or a lemon-butter drizzle, these medium-bodied red wines make tuna feel ribald and add dimension to the meal.
Richer Shellfish Dishes: Chardonnay’s Complexity Shines
If you’re looking for more creamier shellfish dishes, such as lobster with butter sauce or creamy crab bisque, we recommend you return to our Chardonnay Reserve. Its structure, silky texture, subtle oak, moderate acidity, and vanilla notes contrast beautifully with these dishes' creamy sauces and fatty nature in a way that is rich without being overwhelming.
Chardonnay Reserve is acidic enough to defuse the meatiness, and its flavors support the rich fish dish’s buttery notes, making for a creamy, even palate. This is a wonderful match because the full-bodied white wine and the food reveal their true colors.
A Final Thought on Pairing Cellar Beast Wines with Seafood
With seafood, you have to figure out how the wine pairing will work with what’s on the plate. We do the same at Cellar Beast Winehouse, producing wines with similar precision and producing profiles for food pairings with any number of seafood entrees. It ranges from the clean acidity of Blanc de Noir with mussels to the refined oakiness of Pinot Noir Reserve for salmon pairings depending on your personal preferences.
So whatever seafood you’re serving, let these favorite wines bring out the best in every bite. Using it properly will make the flavors compel and create a meal that expresses the wine and the ocean. Let’s start sampling new taste regions!
These pairings showcase Cellar Beast wines' versatility, but each bottle's varietal qualities ensure that you can make the most of your next seafood dish.
While this guide highlights Cellar Beast wines, the pairing principles shared here apply to any quality wine with similar profiles. Our goal is to help you elevate your seafood dishes with expertly crafted pairings, whether you choose Cellar Beast selections or explore other wines with comparable characteristics.
Featuring research from the wine and culinary industry’s most respected organizations, such as the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and Wine Folly, this guide offers 100% accuracy and reliability in every pairing suggestion. Although Cellar Beast wines are featured, the recommendations are for any wine connoisseur who wants to spice up a meal.
Check Out Our Wine Selection: Check out Cellar Beast wines here. If you need personalized advice or questions about our wines, feel free to contact us.
The guide is authored by Cellar Beast winemaker Aaron Gratch, who has over 10 years of winemaking experience and a deep commitment to creating wines that pair well with many foods. Aaron’s passion for winemaking and taste profiles provides you with reliable, delicious match suggestions for any occasion.
References:
- Wine Folly: Madeline Puckette & Justin Hammack, "Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine."
- Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET): WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Study Guide.
- Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course: Jancis Robinson, "The Oxford Companion to Wine."
- The Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS): "The CMS Guide to Wine Tasting and Pairing."
- James Beard Foundation on Pairing Wine and Food: "James Beard Foundation’s Guide to Wine and Food Pairing."
