What to Drink with Mussels? - Food & Wine Pairings

If you're in a hurry: what wine goes well with mussels?

Mussels are a perfect fit for the classic "seafood and dry white wine " pairing. Here are a few wine suggestions that will pair perfectly with your mussels marinières:

• A dry white wine would be perfect: a white wine from Entre-Deux-Mers in the Bordeaux region.
• A Pouilly-Fumé, or a Vouvray.
• Burgundy white wines, including a Chablis.
• You might also want to try a Muscadet from old vines, which pairs well with mussels.

White wine for cooking, white wine for drinking

Since mussels are a type of seafood, they have the typical characteristics of this type of dish, such as a briny flavor and a slightly juicy texture. If you’re making mussels marinières, you’ll want a fairly dry white wine with some fruitiness and minerality.

For more exotic mussel recipes with white wine, you’ll need a white wine that’s even a bit crisper, with a fairly full-bodied flavor and perhaps a touch of sweetness. You can stick with a dry white wine or even choose a slightly sweeter one, such as a semi-dry. If you’re using mild spices, don’t change a thing—stick with dry white wines.

Recipes for mussels in white wine aren’t difficult, and neither are their variations (mussels marinières with white wine, mussels with Maroilles cheese and white wine...). Just one piece of advice: Enjoy!

Dry white wine

As we mentioned earlier, the general rule is that seafood pairs perfectly with a dry white wine, which goes wonderfully with a dish like mussels marinières and complements their briny flavor.

Among the options available, you might consider a white wine from Entre-Deux-Mers in the Bordeaux region. The Loire Valley vineyards will also satisfy your taste; try a Pouilly-Fumé, for example—it’s an excellent choice as well. Want to try something different? Go for a white Riesling from Alsace with its citrus and lemon notes—this wine will pair perfectly with your seafood. A wine like Chablis can also work very well. Or try something a little more unique with a Muscadet Vieilles Vignes from the Loire.

Everything You Need to Know About Mussels Marinières

Let’s start with a riddle: what do you call the farming of mussels? (drumroll)… MUSSEL FARMING! Easy, right?

Mussels are a seafood that humans have likely known about since the dawn of time, as they are very common and widespread along coastlines, and therefore easily accessible. Mussels may even have been used as spoons in the past, given the quantities found and the fact that some of the shells were kept “carefully.”

When it comes to cooking today, there are probably just as many recipes as there are mussels in a 3-kilo bucket. Take, for example, the most common and simple—yet so delicious—mussels marinières! Mussels, a splash of white wine, a pat of butter, a few onions or shallots, and presto—just toss everything into a pot on the stove and you’re all set!