Seafood platter

Seafood platter

Assuming a cold platter of oysters, prawns, crab, langoustines, clams and whelks, served with mayonnaise, lemon and shallot vinegar.

One wine has to cover the iodine of the oysters, the sweetness of the crab and prawns, and the sharp vinegar and rich mayonnaise beside them. It needs high acid, a saline, mineral edge and enough body for the mayonnaise. Oak and tannin turn metallic against shellfish.

Pairs Perfectly

Champagne Blanc de Blancs, France. Made from Chardonnay grown on chalk, it brings lemon, a chalky mineral edge and fine bubbles that suit the oysters and the crab alike, while its acid meets the vinegar and the bubbles lift the mayonnaise.

Pairs Well

Assyrtiko from Santorini, Greece. Lemon, salt and firm acid suit the oysters and clams, and it has the weight to hold up against crab and mayonnaise.

Riesling, dry, Clare Valley, Australia. Its lime and high acid match the shallot vinegar and the sweet flesh of prawns and langoustines, and it is easy to find at a modest price.

Worth Seeking Out

Carricante from Etna, Sicily, Italy. Grown on volcanic soil, it has lemon, salt and a flinty edge that meet the iodine of the oysters and the sweetness of the crab.

Avoid

Oaked Chardonnay and any red with tannin. Aromatic whites such as Gewürztraminer, whose perfume swamps the brine.

Failing That

A Crémant de Bourgogne, France.

If All Else Fails

Sauvignon Blanc, Loire.

Want to be able to craft answers like this? The Vinealto Wine Coach takes you from the basics to advanced.