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    Wines that pair with shellfish

    "Shellfish" covers everything from a delicate langoustine to a lobster drowning in butter, and they do not want the same wine. The useful question is how rich the dish is, not what species it is.

    By the shellfish

    • Lobster — rich, sweet and usually served with butter. This is one of the few shellfish that wants a fuller white: an oaked Chardonnay or a white Burgundy. Vintage Champagne is the luxury answer.
    • Crab — sweeter and more delicate than lobster. Riesling or Albariño, both of which have the acidity and slight aromatic lift crab needs.
    • Prawns and langoustines — keep it crisp and neutral. Picpoul de Pinet, Muscadet or a dry Provençal rosé.
    • Mussels and clams — usually cooked in wine already, so pour the same style: a dry, unoaked white such as Muscadet or Vinho Verde.
    • Scallops — seared scallops caramelise, which gives you room for a richer Chardonnay; raw or ceviche-style wants Champagne or Sancerre.

    The general rule holds throughout: no oak with raw or delicate shellfish, and no tannic red at all.

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