What Wine to Drink with Lobster

Boiled. Rolled. Bisqued. Stir fried. Even raw. Lobster is always bomb, but it can taste even better when you know what wine to drink with lobster. Lobster, in any form, is straight up delicious. It's also, in any form, a pricey choice. Fun fact about lobster: Way back when, only poor people, servants, and prison inmates ate the stuff. Prisoners in Maine were fed so much lobster they rioted. Indentured servants in Massachusetts even sued to include a clause in their contracts, refusing to be eat lobster more than three times per week.

“Lobster shells about a house are looked upon as signs of poverty and degradation,” wrote John J. Rowan in 1876.

Over time, these bottom-feeding sea bugs clawed their way up to the top of the luxury food ladder. Today lobster rivals filet mignon in price per pound.

Started from the bottom feeder now we here...

When you're balling out on pricey shellfish, you need something equally satisfying to drink that completes the meal. So here's what we suggest.

The Obvious Play: Chardonnay

Let's just start with the most popular choice. Safe, simple, expected. We're talking about Chardonnay of course. Chardonnay has so many styles, but most share some common ground in the form of citrus and lemony flavors. It's like a squirt of lemon. Our go-to for just about any lobster recipe is a medium-bodied Chard with just a kiss of oak and partial malolactic fermentation. Something balanced, with enough refreshing acidity, minerality, and ripe fruit to compliment the food without overpower it. A heavier, creamier style compliments the rich, buttery texture of lobster, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, a zesty, unoaked version of Chardonnay brings a nice contrast to the richness of the lobster meat. Of course if you want to ball out, you can happily step up to a Grand Cru White Burgundy.

The Contrarians: Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, and Viognier

This trio has a few things in common. They're medium to fuller-bodied and bursting with fragrant aromatics. Sometimes they bring a touch of sweetness. You could opt for an off-dry Riesling or Gewurtz if you're pairing with some spicier Asian fare. A bone-dry Riesling should do nicely with a richer lobster mac or bisque. Viognier has a nice weight to it that would stand up to just about everything. Or make a more exotic dish like this roasted lobster with ginger that's made with some Alsace Gewurtz. Serve this with the same wine used in the recipe and you have maybe the most perfect pairing here.

Sneaky Side Bets: Chenin Blanc, Sancerre, and Albarino

Wine and food pairing works on different levels. Sometimes you want complimentary flavors between the food and wine. Or maybe a contrasting flavor in the wine highlights some almost imperceptible spice in the food. Other times you want textures to work together. That's where we're going here. Lobster and the weighty texture of Viognier make a solid pairing. Also a stylish Chenin Blanc, specifically Savenierres, should work in the same way. If you're making a decadent lobster mac and cheese, your best bet would be pairing it with a high-acid wine like Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume, or Albarino. A fuller-bodied wine like Chardonnay or Viognier will simply be too cloying. These wines also do especially well with a simple lobster roll, so think of them as the twist of lemon to accent the richness.

The Baller Choice: Champagne

Champagne might be the ultimate baller choice for your lobster and wine pairing. Ideally, you'd sip a vintage selection or a grower producer. In a pinch you could "settle" for a non-vintage and survive just fine. The fine bubbles cut right through the fatty butter, making every bite as bright as dawn on your tongue.