Wine pairing
Best wine for Italian seafood
Last updated
Italy's coasts drink their own crisp, mineral whites with the catch, and that is still the best rule. Bright acidity works like a squeeze of lemon on fried or grilled fish. Here are the wines on our list we pour with seafood.
Quick answer
Go for a crisp, mineral Italian white — Falanghina, Greco di Tufo, Verdicchio, Vermentino or Etna Bianco. For tomato-based seafood stews, a light red or rosato also works.
11 wines to pour
Falanghina
Falanghina · Campania
Citrus and blossom, fresh acidity. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “Neapolitan seafood pasta's natural partner.”
Greco di Tufo
Greco · Campania (Irpinia)
Peach, almond and minerals, firm acidity. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “Clams, mussels, linguine — done.”
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
Verdicchio · Marche
Lemon, green almond, bitter-edged finish. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “The bitter-almond finish loves fried food.”
Lugana
Turbiana (Trebbiano di Lugana) · Lombardy and Veneto (Lake Garda)
Round, citrus and almond. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “Lake fish and a Lugana. Life is good.”
Ribolla Gialla
Ribolla Gialla · Friuli Venezia Giulia
Zesty, lean; skin-contact versions are amber and grippy. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “Pick the amber one if you're feeling brave.”
Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Trebbiano Abruzzese · Abruzzo
Light, crisp; top bottles are textured and age-worthy. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “The everyday white next to Montepulciano.”
Grillo
Grillo · Sicily
Lemon, herbs, a little salt. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “Tastes like a Sicilian beach lunch.”
Etna Bianco
Carricante · Sicily (Mount Etna)
Mineral, lemon peel, racy acidity. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “Etna Rosso's white sibling. Just as volcanic.”
Vermentino di Gallura
Vermentino · Sardinia
Fuller, saline, herbal. Serve at 48°F / 9°C.
Larry: “Seafood stew wine with a sea breeze built in.”
Bardolino
Corvina and Rondinella · Veneto (Lake Garda)
Very light, red berry, spice. Serve at 56°F / 13°C.
Larry: “Red wine for people who drink white.”
Frappato
Frappato · Sicily (Vittoria)
Light, floral, strawberry. Serve at 56°F / 13°C.
Larry: “Chilled red for tuna and summer.”
Cooking it tonight? Start with Italian seafood recipes, then learn the basics in Wine Pairing 101.
Questions people ask
What wine goes with Italian seafood?
Crisp, mineral coastal whites like Falanghina, Vermentino, Verdicchio or Etna Bianco.
What wine goes with linguine and clams?
A dry, fresh white such as Greco di Tufo or Falanghina.
What wine goes with fried calamari?
A zesty white with good acidity, or a dry Prosecco.
Can red wine go with fish?
A light, low-tannin red or rosato can work with tomato-based fish dishes.