The Best Wine To Pair With Shrimp Cocktail

When taking the time to make your own shrimp cocktail recipe, the right wine pairing should complement the dish — not compete with it. The delicately sweet flavor of shrimp can be easily overpowered by bolder wines, while seasonings like garlic and parsley may not be as palatable alongside others. To find a wine with the most accommodating flavor profile, Mashed spoke with Kory Foltz, executive chef of Sunseeker Resort.

The chef's recommendation is about as straightforward as it gets. "The bright acidity and citrus notes of sauvignon blanc complement the sweetness of the shrimp," Foltz explains.

Sauvignon blanc is a highly popular white wine known for its refreshing crispness and flavor profile that ranges from herbal grassiness to citrus-forward, depending on where the grapes are grown. The wine pairs beautifully with a wide range of seafood dishes, including lobster, sushi, cod, and oysters, just to name a few. While not necessarily a hard and fast rule, white wine is a common selection for many seafood preparations. 

While it can seem overwhelming to wine novices, wine and food pairings are all about finding complementary flavors that ensure each element gets its time in the sun. For instance, red wines like pinot noir are excellent with earthy foods like mushrooms, while Champagne tastes amazing alongside briny dishes like caviar. Kory Foltz emphasizes the importance of proper flavor balances so you don't "overpower the dish." To this end, it's worth noting the other ingredients in shrimp cocktails when it comes to sauvignon blanc pairings.

Cocktail sauce usually includes ingredients such as ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce. Ketchup and lemon juice impart their own acidity, while horseradish has an intense yet short-lived spiciness that's somewhat tempered by the other ingredients. Conversely, Worcestershire sauce has a rich, umami-forward flavor with just a touch of tanginess.

Sauvignon blanc's versatility means the wine can complement similar bright flavors while enhancing the richer, more robust notes in the cocktail sauce. Similarly, sauvignon blanc also pairs wonderfully with scallops, thanks to the similarity of the delicate flavor profiles. However, the wine won't compete with the bolder elements.