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The most obvious pairing to start with is light, fresh white wines that lift the delicate flavours without overpowering them. Sauvignon blanc and arinto, for example, work well with barnacles, lobster, crab, and small shrimp.
Chardonnay and sparkling wines, on the other hand, blend well with the brininess held in bivalves such as clams, cockles, mussels, razor clams or scallops. When cooked Thai-style, say, with coconut, lime and coriander, they pair nicely with a grüner veltliner, a pinot grigio, or a sauvignon blanc.
Pasta with shrimp and a tomato-and-herb base: alvarinho, but also subtler reds like barbera or even pinot noir. If the recipe carries a generous dose of garlic, a pinot grigio will refresh the palate without overpowering the dish.
Pasta with curry, spice, or Asian-leaning flavours: riesling and macerated whites (orange wines, Georgian ones especially). They should be fresh, with high acidity and plenty of fruit, ideal for balancing the heat and cutting through the intensity of the spices.
Chenin and gewürztraminer are ideal grapes to pair with curry, since their intense aromas combine perfectly with strong spices, and their naturally oily texture complements fuller-bodied curry bases.
Oysters: champagne, albariño and alvarinho are naturally suited grapes that mirror and lift the ocean flavours, with the fruit creating a surprisingly harmonious balance against the intense, salty character of these special bivalves. On a lazy Saturday afternoon, alone or among friends, even a laid-back pet nat does the job.
Cephalopods (octopus, squid, cuttlefish): alvarinho, chenin, a fuller-bodied chardonnay. In general, molluscs pair well with fresh whites with sophisticated acidity, though dry rosés or light reds with soft tannins also work well. Because their flavour is mild, delicate, slightly sweet and salty, they’re quite versatile when it comes to pairing — a gamay or pinot noir, for instance, is the right choice if the dish is enriched with a tomato base.
