Alicia's Maryland Seafood Stew + the Wines That Honor the Chesapeake

A Shades of Vino Club Recipe | Submitted by Alicia S.

There are dishes that taste like a place. Alicia S.'s Maryland Seafood Stew tastes like the Chesapeake Bay — briny, rich, deeply comforting, and unmistakably American.

Alicia is a proud member of our Shades of Vino Club — and her recipe is part of our 2026 Summer Shades of Vino Collection. She brought us a stew that layers whitefish, shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams into a creamy, Old Bay-seasoned broth built on a butter roux and finished with white wine and heavy cream. It's the kind of dish that makes you close your eyes and feel the salt air.

We found two Virginia wines that are perfectly suited to honor every layer of this extraordinary stew.

The Recipe: Alicia's Maryland Seafood Stew

The secret to this stew is the roux. By building a butter-and-flour base before adding the stock, you create a broth that's silky and rich without being heavy — the perfect canvas for the delicate sweetness of the seafood. Old Bay seasoning does the heavy lifting on flavor, bringing that unmistakable Chesapeake character that makes this dish feel like home.

Ingredients

• Butter
• Onion, diced
• Celery, diced
• Garlic, minced
• Flour
• Old Bay seasoning
• Thyme
• Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
• Seafood stock
• White wine
• Whitefish (cod, halibut, or similar)
• Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Scallops
• Mussels
• Clams
• Heavy cream
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Sauté diced onion, celery, and garlic until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
2. Add flour, Old Bay seasoning, and thyme. Stir to coat the vegetables and cook the roux for 1–2 minutes.
3. Pour in seafood stock and white wine, stirring to incorporate. Add cubed Yukon Gold potatoes.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Add whitefish, shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. Cook until the seafood is done and the shellfish have opened, about 5–8 minutes.
6. Stir in heavy cream and heat through — do not boil.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Serves: 4–6 | Total Time: ~45 minutes | Difficulty: Easy–Intermediate

The Wine Pairing: What Do You Drink with Maryland Seafood Stew?

A creamy seafood stew with Old Bay seasoning is one of the most rewarding wine pairing challenges in American cooking. You're working with the delicate sweetness of multiple shellfish, the richness of a cream-based broth, the savory depth of the roux, and the distinctive spice of Old Bay. The wine needs to complement all of that without getting lost — or taking over.

We chose two Virginia wines that approach this dish from different angles. Both are from the Monticello AVA — a wine region that's producing some of the most exciting white wines in the country — and both are perfectly suited to the flavors of the Chesapeake.

🥂 Primary Pairing: 2024 Joy Ting "Clair" Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris is one of the great seafood wines of the world — and the 2024 Joy Ting "Clair" Pinot Gris from Monticello AVA, Virginia is a particularly beautiful expression of why.

• Bright acidity cuts through the richness of the cream-based broth, keeping every spoonful feeling fresh and balanced.
• Citrus and stone fruit notes complement the natural sweetness of the shrimp, scallops, and clams without competing with the Old Bay spice.
• Subtle texture and weight give the wine enough body to stand alongside the richness of the stew — this is not a wine that gets swallowed by a creamy broth.

At $28, this is a Virginia Pinot Gris that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about East Coast white wine. And it comes with a story worth telling: Joy Ting is woman-owned and woman winemaker-led, a Virginia producer whose work is putting Monticello AVA on the national wine map. Every bottle is a celebration of what women bring to the wine world.

This wine is part of our 2026 Summer Shades of Vino Collection →

➡️ Shop the 2024 Joy Ting "Clair" Pinot Gris →

🌹 Secondary Pairing: 2024 Eastwood Rosé

If the Pinot Gris complements the stew's richness and depth, the Eastwood Rosé brings a burst of freshness and contrast that makes every bite feel like a new discovery.

The 2024 Eastwood Rosé from Monticello AVA, Virginia is a rosé built for exactly this kind of occasion — a dish that's rich and warming, but needs a wine that keeps things feeling light and celebratory.

• Fresh red fruit — strawberry, watermelon, and a hint of citrus — provides a beautiful contrast to the savory, Old Bay-spiced broth.
• Crisp acidity cuts through the cream and butter, refreshing the palate between bites of rich, tender seafood.
• Dry, elegant finish keeps the pairing feeling sophisticated without overwhelming the delicate flavors of the shellfish.

At $26, this is a rosé that delivers everything you want from the style — freshness, fruit, and a finish that makes you reach for another sip. Virginia rosé is having a moment, and Eastwood is one of the reasons why.

This wine is part of our 2026 Summer Shades of Vino Collection →

➡️ Shop the 2024 Eastwood Rosé →

The Bigger Picture: The Chesapeake Table

Maryland seafood stew is more than a recipe. It's a celebration of the Chesapeake Bay — one of the most productive and culturally significant bodies of water in America. The communities built around the Bay have been harvesting its bounty for centuries, and dishes like Alicia's stew carry that history forward with every bowl.

Old Bay seasoning, the iconic spice blend born in Baltimore, is itself a story of American culinary identity — a blend of flavors that has become synonymous with a place, a people, and a way of eating. When you cook with it, you're connecting to something larger than the recipe.

At The Wine Concierge, we believe the best pairings honor both the dish and the story behind it. Alicia brought the stew. We brought two Virginia wines that feel right at home on the Chesapeake table. The rest is up to you.

Wine Pairing Tips for Creamy Seafood Stews

Creamy seafood stews are one of the most rewarding wine pairing categories — and one of the most forgiving. Here's how to think about it:

• Acidity is essential: Cream-based broths need wines with good acidity to cut through the richness and keep the palate refreshed.
• Match the delicacy of the seafood: Multiple shellfish varieties call for wines that are elegant and precise — not overpowering. White wines and dry rosés are almost always the right choice.
• Old Bay loves citrus: The spice blend's distinctive flavor profile pairs beautifully with wines that have citrus and herbal notes — like a Pinot Gris or a crisp rosé.
• Consider the wine in the stew: If you're cooking with white wine, try to serve a similar style at the table — it creates a seamless connection between the dish and the glass.
• Serve well chilled: Both of these wines show their best at around 45–50°F — cold enough to be refreshing alongside a warm, rich stew.

For more pairing inspiration, explore our Essential Food & Wine Pairing Guide and our Spring Food & Wine Pairing Recipes.

Join the Club That Inspired This Recipe

Alicia's Maryland Seafood Stew came straight from our Shades of Vino Club — a community of passionate home cooks and wine lovers who bring their whole stories to the table. Members receive curated bottles, exclusive recipes like this one, and a community that makes wine feel like it was always meant for them.

Ready to explore what's in the glass this season? Browse the 2026 Summer Shades of Vino Collection — every bottle curated for the season and ready to ship.

➡️ Explore The Wine Concierge Club →

And remember: Free shipping on 6 bottles or more. Grab both pairings and make it a proper Chesapeake evening. 🍷