You’re visiting Brittany and your nephews are away on a mission. Mussels for lunch! Well, you’ve got a few hours before the kids come back from fishing with their mussel-laden fools. It’s the perfect opportunity to lose yourself in one of the coastal wineries and find the perfect wine for your seafood. But while we’re at it, we might as well take something to enjoy with the mussels.

White wine in the kitchen…

To cook mussels marinière, you absolutely need a dry, mineral white wine with a hint of fruit. You can opt for a Sauvignon Blanc, or turn to the Loire with a Sancerre or Touraine Blanc, or to the Bordeaux region with an Entre-Deux-Mers. The acidity of these wines is the perfect complement to the iodine and juiciness of mussels marinière.

For more exotic, spicy mussels, consider a less dry white wine, a demi-sec. You might think of a semi-dry Vouvray from Clos Naudin in the Loire, or a semi-dry Condrieu.

… and to the table!

When we talk about seafood and iodine, we inevitably come to white wine, and particularly dry white wine. Depending on your mood, you can make a classic or more exotic pairing.

If you don’t want to venture into uncharted territory, a Sancerre or Touraine Blanc de Loire will do just as well as a Sauvignon Blanc. However, you can also go for a more refreshing, mineral touch with, for example, a dry German Riesling from the northern regions.

Finally, you can try something more baroque with a blend of Semillon and Chardonnay from Australia. The lively, exotic characteristics of these wines will surprise you with juicy mussels. A blend of Chardonnay, Semillon and Riesling from California offers an aromatic explosion.

However, if you decide to cook mussels with more exotic recipes, such as mussels with curry, you can opt for a powerful rosé wine with a hint of acidity, like a Côtes-du-Rhône village, a Corbières or a wine from a Bandol winemaker.

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