Shrimp is an often overlooked wine pairing partner. It is often ignored or lumped in with “seafood” in most pairing articles, perhaps because it is a Southern food? Or it could be due to too much flavorless frozen shrimp on the market.
Whatever the reason, we think overlooking shrimp is a shame. Shrimp should be the star of the show! At KnowWines, we love fresh shrimp, especially when paired with wines that don’t overwhelm its flavor. In today’s blog, we highlight different wine pairings based on the preparation of the shrimp: boiled, on a salad, or in a savory dish like shrimp and grits (so good!).
Before we continue with our shrimp pairing recommendations, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We’re an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions help us pay for web hosting fees, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!
About Shrimp In the South
Shrimp are “born” in the ocean and are carried via waves into waters in the Mid-Atlantic and South. Shrimp spend their lives as juveniles and adults growing and feeding at the base of plants and structures in the Intracoastal marshes, tidal creeks, and inlets. As these water sources are varied, so too are the flavors.
As the shrimp mature, they leave this marshier habitat and head back out into the ocean. And again the shrimp flavor changes as the water out in the ocean (as well as the depth that the shrimp live in) is varied.
Where To Find Great Shrimp
While your local supermarket might be flush with frozen shrimp, you’re not going to get great flavor unless your shrimp is fresh. And the best-flavored shrimp will be wild-caught and fresh shrimp.
First, Consider Shrimp Origin
Shrimp from different regions of the US, much like oysters, will taste different. Few shrimp connoisseurs mention “terrior” when it comes to shrimp like wine enthusiasts do with wine, but in fact, there’s quite a variety in flavor depending on where your shrimp comes from. Depending on the coastal area, bay, or out island where the shrimp originates, the taste will vary.
Also, the flavor of shrimp will change throughout the season. At KnowWines, this is something that we did not appreciate until we started to buy shrimp from our local farmers market in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
Explore Your Farmers Market
Since we moved closer to the beach, we’ve been buying our shrimp from the local farmers’ market. There are a number of farmers’ markets in the mid-Atlantic region of the US from which one can purchase fresh shrimp.
The shrimp you purchase at market be head-on, or it may be sold with heads removed. Unless you are looking for shrimp heads to use for bait or for making a seafood broth, we recommend purchasing shrimp that have had the heads removed but the shell still on.
With the shell still on, more flavor is preserved, especially if you are not going to cook the shrimp until the next day or if you intend to freeze the shrimp.
Check with Your Local Grocer
Further from the beach? Check with your local grocer on the availability of fresh or frozen shrimp.
If you are looking for shrimp to use for a fairly simple preparation, such as boiled shrimp, look for mid-Atlantic shrimp.
If you are looking for shrimp to use in a more heavily seasoned recipe like curried shrimp, Gumbo, Pad Thai, or Shrimp Carnbonera, then previously frozen or Gulf shrimp might be a more economical choice.
Investigate the Freezer Section
Your grocer may sell frozen shrimp. When looking for frozen shrimp, try to find shrimp from the mid-Atlantic of the USA.
Look for Coastal Shrimp from the USA
If you are based in the US, you will want to look for shrimp from the US. These shrimp are more likely to be sustainably fished and have fewer preservatives than shrimp imported from further distances like South America or Southeast Asia.
If you want to learn more about sustainability and shrimping, check out the
Shrimp Recipies
When it comes to shrimp, simple recipes are best. Minimal manipulation helps to highlight the expression of fresh shrimp. Use previously frozen, less flavorful shrimp for recipes with strong spices.
Before cooking shrimp, it is not necessary to devein it. However, it is a good idea to boil one of your shrimp and taste it for sandiness before cooking the whole batch. If the shrimp does taste a little sandy (which can happen after a storm) then we advise cleaning the shrimp before cooking. Removing shells with a deveining tool will make quick work of removing shells before cooking. Here’s our favorite:
Wines to Pair With Shrimp
When it comes to pairing shrimp with wine, shrimp should be the star.
While one can enjoy any wine with shrimp, we recommend some particular varieties and styles that let the little shrimps shine.
Wines to Pair With Poached or Boiled Shrimp
The simplest of preparation - peel-and-eat or steamed - lead us to two of our favorite wines.
First, we recommend an Albarino wine with the simplest preparation of shrimp. As Master Sommelier Evan Goldsmith has said, “If it swims or clings to a rock, it will be happy with Albarino”. These wines can be found at most independent wine bottle shops and online retailers. They are typically imported from the Galicia region of Spain, which is also renowned for seafood such as octopus.
Another good choice will be a dry Semillon from Bordeaux. We tend to hear more about the famous red wines of Bordeaux. However, some of the best oyster production is about an hour’s train ride west of Bordeaux.
If the particular wine you find has label descriptions like “crisp” or “refreshing” and not a lot of descriptors about fruits, then it might also pair well with shrimp.
Wines to Pair With Shrimp and Grits or Coconut Shrimp
Buttery and or creamy dishes like Shrimp and Grits can pair well with lightly oaked or “buttery” examples of Chardonnay (from Napa or Paso Robles), or oaked Assyrtiko from Greece.
Not sure if the wine you have picked out is a “buttery” wine? If there are descriptors on the wine like “vanilla” or “toasty,” or if there are fruit descriptions that sound like a tropical vacation, then these wines might pair well with shrimp and grits or fried shrimp dishes like coconut shrimp. Yum.
Wines to Pair With Shrimp Cocktail or Spicy Tomato Sauce
Perhaps one of your favorite coastal activities is to order a half-pound or pound of steamed shrimp and go “heavy” on shrimp cocktail. Or maybe you love a good shrimp gumbo. In this case, you’ll want to seek out a rosé wine, or venture off the beaten path with Dolcetto or Xinomavro.
Wines to Pair With Shrimp Salad
Do you enjoy a simple preparation of shrimp with a salad? If the salad is more on the fruity side - with cantaloupe or other tropical fruits - try a slightly off-dry bubbly wine from Piedmonte, Italy.
If the salad is a little more herbal, then try a Sauvignon Blanc from California. The tropical fruit aromas and flavors will go nicely with the greens in the salad and the saltiness of the fresh shrimp.
Wines to Pair With Spicy Dishes Like Pad Thai or Jerk Chicken
In addition to fruity salads with shrimp, off-dry wines also pair well with spicy shrimp dishes. If bubbles are not your thing, try an off-dry Riesling or Pinot Gris.
Shrimp & Wine Resources
Best Cookbook on Southern Cooking and Foodways
This James Beard Award-winning Southern cookbook will tell you everything you need to know about the right way to eat shrimp.
Best Book on Wine Pairings
This fabulous wine pairing book will help you to get maximum enjoyment out of your food and the wine you pair with it.
Shrimp & Wine Wrap-Up
Next time you have the opportunity to make a shrimp dish or order shrimp at a restaurant or dockside, try one of our wine recommendations instead of reaching for a stronger alcoholic cocktail.
If you let the shrimp take center stage, you won’t be sorry.
Let us know how it goes in the comments.
Cheers!
