The social drinker

Summer means different things to different people. For me, a highlight of the summer months is eating prawns, crab and lobster outdoors. These crustaceans don’t seem to taste good in the winter, but they are perfect for an evening meal at a pavement cafe in Dunmore East, Boston or Naples.

The traditional wine to pair with oysters, mussels or clams is a crisp, lemony Muscadet. Chablis is often paired with richer meat, such as crab or lobster.

You cannot really go wrong with either wine, but there is plenty else out there.

A crisp Sancerre, an Italian Pinot Grigio, a Vinho Verde, or an Albarino all make a great accompaniment to shellfish of any kind.

One could generalise further and say that almost anything dry and unoaked works well with this sort of food.

For me, a chilled Gruner Veltliner from Austria is a fantastic pairing for prawns or scallops, assuming you can bring yourself to ignore the environmental vandalism required to get that scallop to your plate.

If the prawns are swimming in garlic, a Sauvignon Blanc is best, as garlic always loves Sauvignon Blanc.

Finally, when it comes to wine, it is worth considering a modern Spanish white — a white Rioja, for instance. While wine is the obvious combination for shellfish, there are other options

Sherry can be a great pairing. Try a manzanilla or fino sherry with almost any shellfish, and you will feel like you are a million miles from home.

Alternatively, learn from the Americans, and order a Bloody Mary. Somehow, the strong taste of a Bloody Mary is the perfect match for a plate of spicy prawns, or for a simple snack, such as crab on toast.