The plump, meaty, and chewy texture of scallops is a sheer delight to bite into, but pairing this popular seafood with a glass of wine only helps to make it even tastier and so much more memorable as a meal or snack.
Since sea scallops are so small, it can be incredibly easy to accidentally pair them with a very potent and bold wine which can overpower and drown out the briny and sweet flavor that makes them so beloved around the world.
It’s therefore incredibly important to pick up a wine that is guaranteed to enhance the flavors rather than ruining them, and to save you the effort of having to taste-test multiple drinks for yourself, we’ve got a full guide with all the best sea scallop and wine pairings right here.
Since sea scallops can be prepared in a few different ways, we have also made sure to pay close attention to what specific wines work best with each style of scallop so that you know exactly what will be the most suitable together as part of a meal.
1. Blanc de Blanc Champagne With Grilled Scallops
Blanc de Blanc Champagne is actually commonly used as a pairing with shrimp, but it also works well with scallops, especially when they have been grilled to enhance their sweetness and soften their texture.
The smoky sensation that you get with smoked scallops is balanced out elegantly by the slight hint of the citrus contained within each sip of the Blanc de Blanc wine, with all of these contrasting flavors coming together to create a meal that is as delicious as it sounds.
This pairing is perfect for a backyard party or gathering where you can offer a few glasses of champagne for people to enjoy while tucking into some scallops that are hot off the grill.
2. Chenin Blanc With Seared Scallops
The oxidation, sweetness, and high levels of acidity of Chenin Blanc make it the perfect wine to pair with some miniature juicy seared scallops.
Both old vine and off-dry Chenin Blanc will be a suitable addition to any seared sea scallop dish, especially if you like the idea of having a nice fruity aftertaste lingering in the mouth after each bite.
Chenin Blanc also offers up hints of honey which enhances the sweet and buttery flavor of the seared scallops tremendously, and since this wine is very easy to get your hands on nowadays, it’s another reason why it’s so worth picking up.
3. Albariño And Raw Scallops
Raw scallops certainly aren’t for everyone, especially those who aren’t big fans of their food being too sweet or briny, but if you are someone who happens to enjoy them, there’s no better drink to wash them down with than the fav-favorite beverage, Albariño.
The mouth-watering acidity of Albariño leaves a delicate bitter aftertaste which provides a nice contrast to the sweet and juicy scallops, and if you really want to make a statement with your scallops, consider glazing them over with classic Japanese ponzu sauce.
The sweet ocean flavor of the scallops will become all the more delicious and incredibly addictive after you take that first bite and finish them off with a swig of Albariño.
4. Riesling And Baked Sea Scallops
The tart and crisp flavor of Riesling wine merges so well with the nutty taste that you get with baked sea scallops, but on top of that, this light-bodied wine is also very easy to digest and helps to keep each and every crunch as delightful as possible.
Because Riesling is considered to be such an easy-drinking wine, you can most definitely pair it with seared or even grilled scallops too, but since baked sea scallops already contain such a strong and noticeable flavor hidden away, you don’t want anything masking it.
Baking scallops is the easiest and quickest way to prepare them, so whip them up for a sunny weekend afternoon, and pair these bite-size treats with a splash of Riesling to leave everyone well-fed and more than satisfied.
5. Light Chardonnay And Sautèed Scallops
Sea scallops covered in crushed garlic and sprinkled with a dash of rosemary is certainly an enjoyable meal already, but when you mix it with a light and breezy Chardonnay, it simply becomes irresistible in both taste and texture.
Chardonnay is so light and elegant that it easily mixes with the buttery cream in this dish, and since there are so many variations, the choice of what flavor you want to add is entirely up to you, though anything fruity will help to make the scallops all the sweeter.
Sauteed scallops are such a refreshing treat, so you really can’t go wrong matching them with a type of light Chardonnay which isn’t going to overpower their natural sweetness.
6. Rosé And Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops
Bacon-wrapped scallops are becoming trendier with each passing year, but people aren’t just eating them on their own, they’re also adding some pink-colored Rosé to the mix in order to add a smack of lime and cranberry to this smoky seafood treat.
Any of the berry Rosé flavors will pair elegantly with some chewy savory bacon scallops, though raspberry, strawberry, and watermelon are among some of the best options if you want a taste that’s suitable for the summertime.
As everyone knows, bacon will give any food it’s added to a very meaty and fleshy texture that can often be a little crispier than most other types of meat, so some sweet Rosé will also help to caramelize the coating with each bite you take.
7. Merlot And Scallop Salad
If you’re layering a mountain of salad over your scallops, or you’re planning to use some of the lettuce and veggies as a base, you will need a wine that is able to cut through both the rich texture of the scallops and the acidity of the salad ingredients.
Full-bodied Merlot is excellent for this, possessing the perfect blend between honey and dark fruit which allows it to pair so well with a hearty bowl of scallop salad, especially since Merlot is also a wine rich in antioxidants that can be very beneficial for gut health.
For a light and easy-to-digest healthy meal that you can prepare and enjoy in just a matter of minutes, you really can’t go far wrong with pairing some dark and aromatic Merlot with a sweet and crunchy sea scallop salad.
8. Sauvignon Blanc And Scallops With Other Seafood
It’s hard not to love the sweet and delicate taste of sea scallops, and while they’re great as part of a small miniature meal when paired with a few side ingredients, or a quick snack to enjoy on the go, many people find them too small and will pair them with other seafood.
Crabs, lobster, and shrimp are all examples of small but satisfying fishy treats that combine well with a group of scallops, but merging these ingredients together also means you will be required to use a wine that can cover all bases.
Luckily, Sauvignon Blanc rarely ever tastes like it doesn’t belong, especially when you pair it with seafood as sweet and delicious as scallops, so you won’t have to worry about it emphasizing one flavor and not the other because of how effortlessly it integrates with food.
9. Pinot Noir And Creamy Garlic Scallops
When you’re consuming any type of creamy garlic, you need to make sure you have something with a high acidity content that can cleanse the palette every so often so that the taste doesn’t linger for a little too long.
This is where Pinot Noir comes in, an incredibly popular red wine which is high in acidic value but also very low in tannins.
It is a light bodied wine, so while it won’t overtake the actual hidden flavors within the creamy scallops, it will still make each bite as soft and buttery as it can be.
Pinot Noir is a wine known for combining multiple different flavors together to create its incredibly unique taste, including raspberry, mushroom, and even forest floor.
If you’re looking for an exotic way to mellow out the garlic poured over the scallops, Pinot Noir is always an incredibly reliable option that isn’t too hard to get your hands on.
10. Marsanne And Baked Scallops
Marsanne possesses a very distinctive ripe-pear taste along with a few hints of lemon that make it incredibly appetizing when you need something to quench your thirst, and in the case of baked scallops, it works wonders in enhancing their flavor and texture.
Baked scallops are already the best way to prepare this seafood if you want them to be as succulent as they can be in taste and texture, but a hint of Marsanne will ensure that they are also light, airy, and delightful to enjoy out on the porch on a boiling summers day.
Summary
There are so many different ways you can prepare scallops, and because of this, it also means that there is a near-endless number of wine pairings you can make depending on how you want your meal to be, and the type of taste and flavor you’re going for.
Don’t just stick with one of these pairings though, try experimenting with a new one each time you or your friends get a craving for the sweet and slightly buttery taste of scallops.
Not only will this allow you to try out some brand new wines for yourself, but it’s also a great way to learn about all the wonderful ways you can sizzle up a batch of scallops.
I can offer you articles and information about wine from a seasoned sommelier, and now a winemaker too! I hope that you enjoy some of our articles, and start thinking outside of the box when it comes to wine.
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