As noted, we think a medium-bodied or full white wine with plenty of acidic taste would ultimately pair best with many types of shellfish. White wines aren't the only wines that work with oysters. All Rights Reserved. It’s not the most wallet-friendly food and wine match, but Champagne and oysters is a much-loved, classic pairing. Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes, People's Best New Bar Northeast Winner: Southern Efficiency. As far as following rules goes, the r-month suggestion originates from a time when oysters were wild harvested – allowing for their spawning season, when water temperatures are warmer. We tasted through a wide range of lighter reds with raw oysters, and the winners by far were wines from Chiroubles (they're Cru Beaujolais.) Until now. Because of their briny toughness, East Coast oysters, like Bluepoints, Malpeques, and Duxbury go well with light-bodied wines with a bit of acidity, such Riesling, Prosecco, and Vinho Verde. Plus, it has a certain umami nuttiness that it gets from aging under flor – a veil of yeast cells that develops on the top of the wine in cask to protect it from oxidation. Six tried and true combinations to up your oyster game. The original Oyster Rockefeller recipe is said to be one of the most sought-after recipes in the world. You just don’t want any wine with a lot of oak, it gives the oyster a real vegetal quality.” 2. (The third time we were at a friend’s house and the hosts spoiled us with Champagne and great white wine to go with our mountains of oysters.) We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. They are grown in bags which gives them a rounded and deep cup. The freshness of the oysters can shine in all of its briny glory. Both Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé go well with oysters; these wines tend to help pull the complex flavors of just-shucked oysters. The salinity in the oyster versus the tannins in a big bold red wine don’t work. Oysters. Muscadet Gross.). Still, there are a few tried and true combinations that will elevate the taste experience, framing the flavors of both the oysters and the wine in the best possible way. Chablis is the northernmost winegrowing area of Burgundy, but it’s geographically closer to Champagne than the Côte d’Or. This wine hails from the part of the Loire Valley where the river meets the Atlantic and is made entirely from the local Melon de Bourgogne grape, referred to simply as Melon. Jules developed the dish due to a shortage of escargot, substituting the locally available oysters. At his Eat the Rich oyster bar in the Shaw neighborhood, he has a little section of red wine on his drinks list – but it’s a very precisely engineered list of wines. With clean red fruit focus, nice acidity, and easy going tannin, these worked best of any reds we tried. One of the columns and blogs I follow with great enjoyment is The Pour by Eric Asimov, drinks writer of the New York Times. Oysters and red wine. But unlike the Burgundian white, the grape in question here is aromatic Sauvignon Blanc – known for its bracing acidity and citrus notes. These wines, while produced from Chardonnay, are more reflective of their soils–especially in the idione-y, crushed oyster shells aromas–than of the grape from which they’re produced. 2011 Basty Régnié Cru Beaujolais “We found that fruit-driven Beaujolais that has a nice mineral content can really work. “It makes this weird, pungent taste and accentuates the salinity in the oysters. A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. “Harsh tannins and oysters are terrible together,” says Brown. I love it when, immediately after sitting down for dinner at The Dutch, a guest (or better, “the host,” a dying breed) orders a Prince Platter from the raw bar, or just a bunch of oysters… Food & Wine is part of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes Food Group. Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? But eating oysters especially in raw state and that too for the first time needs a brave heart. Wines of the sort that people in the beer world would call “sessionable” – brisk and refreshing – are typically great with oysters. Wines with harsh tannins and oysters do not go together favorably. It makes the overall taste pleasant, and chances are high that you will eat oysters once again sooner than later. The bubbles play an important part as a balancing act for the creaminess of the oyster. While this is true, Finos tend to hover around the 15% alcohol range – not a far cry from many table wines these days.Try: NV Bodegas Valdespino Fino Inocente ($14, 375ml), ChampagneThere’s very little out there that doesn’t taste great with bubbles, but oysters pair particularly well. We know that the zombie hordes love Malbec, but we didn’t want to kill the lovely Rappahanock oysters that we serve with a Malbec. Season the dressing with salt and pepper, and spoon over oysters… Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. You just don’t want any wine with a lot of oak, it gives the oyster a real vegetal quality.”, 2. Here are the varietals that pair best with oysters: Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? I know oysters and red wine sounds bizarre, but 20 years ago white wine with cheese sounded strange. 2011 Matteo Correggia Anthos This light bodied red comes from Italy’s Piedmont region. Stop Drinking Red Wine With Oysters! New to Chowhound? Sign up to discover your next favorite restaurant, recipe, or cookbook in the largest community of knowledgeable food enthusiasts. It was created in 1889 at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine’s by Jules Alciatore, son of founder Antoine Alciatore. We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes, 2014 Domaine de la Pépière ‘Gras Moutons’ Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, NV Pierre Peters ‘Cuvée de Réserve’ Brut Blanc de Blancs. While oysters are salty, and some wines might have a salty character, we are matching the acid of the wine to the saltiness of the oyster. A Brut (dry) Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) is my go-to, but any bottle from a trusted producer should do the trick.Try: NV Pierre Peters ‘Cuvée de Réserve’ Brut Blanc de Blancs ($60), Credit: (That said, a flabbergasting number of sommeliers have described to me excruciating moments when a customer will order a big Cabernet with their Kumamotos. Yes, that means there are actually traces of oyster shells in the soil where the vines grow. A while ago, I had oysters three times in a week (making it an outstanding week), and two of those times the servers proposed red wine! Posted by Fiona Beckett on March 5 2008 at 08:38. A new study from the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) says the secret may lie with the umami flavour in certain types of oysters and some Champagnes. It's our wine contributor's #1 pet peeve. Despite the age-old adage not to eat them beyond months that end in the letter "r," the return of patio weather almost always signals an intense urge to sit outside slurping oysters on the half-shell with the appropriate wine accompaniment. Beaujolais is the perfect option. Shucked with lemon – very crisp, fresh white wine Now, white wine is accepted as a delicious companion for many cheeses. Loire Valley coolness meets Kimmeridgian soil in Sancerre. Skip the cocktail sauce and the red wine vinegar-and-shallot mignonette sauce, Chablis is all you need to highlight the freshness of the oysters. But I know that people like red wine, so I wanted to give it a try, at least.” So he tasted through a bunch of wines and here are three that actually worked. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Minerality and certain other wine qualities that give the impression of saltiness – such as the presence of lees during wine aging – also tend to complement the briny-sweet spectrum of West to East Coast oyster flavors. Champagne styles vary depending on the grape varieties used (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier are the main three), the age of the reserve wines in the blend (if it’s a non-vintage cuvée), and how much dosage is added before corking (the less the dosage, the drier the Champagne). It’s sort of like how a mignonette, made with a sweet vinegar, is great with oysters. I always go French—something from the Rhone, like Grenache, Syrah, or Mourvedre— or something that has a bit of viognier, since the floral notes in this varietal match the seaweed, cucumber, and melon notes of an East Coast oyster. Illustration collage: LBortolot. If there’s a better wine to pair with great oysters, I’ve failed to discover it. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Marin Miyagi (3-4″) are grown in the Tamales Bay in California. “It makes this weird, pungent taste and accentuates the salinity in the oysters. If you absolutely must have a red wine with your oysters, go for something very light and refreshing. The best versions age for extended periods sur lie, that is, on the yeast deposits that result from fermentation, to extract additional texture and biscuity flavors. The best red wines to match with oysters are light-bodied, earthy rather than fruity, and from cooler climates (with higher acidity). The Champagne region shares a similar mineral vocabulary with the Sancerre and Chablis appellations: veins of chalk soil and marine sediments are found throughout. Nowadays, commercially available oysters are strictly regulated for both safety and sustainability, so you should feel guilt-free when ordering by the dozen this spring. They do, however, have a reputation as an aphrodisiac, which has helped increase their popularity. Here, six such wines to try with your oysters: MuscadetIf there’s any one classic pairing for oysters, it’s the always-bright, always-crisp Muscadet. Place oysters onto serving plate. The light bodied, funky glouglou is perfect to wash down with a dozen oysters. Hog Island Sweetwaters, in particular (being his local oyster; I first met Eric at the Marshall Store, where we were both eating oysters and, coincidentally, drinking his wine), but any sweet Pacific resonates harmoniously with this great wine. Oysters on Ice with Shallots, Red Wine Vinegar, and Lemon Raw oysters are one of those shellfish that you either love or hate. Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. Oysters with red wine vinaigrette. In a blender puree shallots with the red wine vinegar until smooth. Fino is the lightest and driest style in the category; in fact, it’s bone dry. Pairing Specifics. Hungary’s Tokaj may be known for its sweet, botrytized dessert wines, but the region boasts some great dry versions as well. You get an interesting, pungent taste that emphasizes the salinity in the oysters versus complementing them. Northeast coastal oysters tend to have a longer shaped shell, are leaner in meatiness, yet still retain a moderately briny, salty, steely flavor, delicious for eating raw or with no more than a squeeze of lemon or splash of mignonette (a white wine vinegar/shallot dip). © Lisovskaya Natalia / Getty Images / Alloy. Like other white Burgundies, Chablis is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, but two primary factors set its flavor profile apart. 1. Native oysters have been back on the menu in UK restaurants for the past month – and with the numerous ways of preparing them comes a variety of wines to match them with, writes Matthieu Longuère MS of Le Cordon Bleu London. 2. From an aroma and acidity perspective, these wines fall somewhere between Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, but the region’s volcanic soils provide an altogether different sort of minerality. Shuck oysters. WINE TO PAIR WITH NORTHEAST COAST (THE “SKINNY”) OYSTERS. Most dry Tokajis available in the U.S. are made from the Furmint grape, sometimes blended with Hárslevelű. Food & Wine is part of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes Food Group. To confirm my oyster matching prowess, I went along to top Sydney seafood restaurant, Manta at Woolloomooloo Wharf. 1. Leave it to Derek Brown, the brains behind some of Washington DC’s best bars (Columbia Room, Southern Efficiency, Mockingbird Hill) to prove us all wrong. Loire Pinot Noir or Gamay; One thing I love about going to Paris is the abundance of Loire wines in bistros and restaurants, especially natural wines. Chad Walsh May 21, 2014. “But… Sherry is fortified wine!,” you might be thinking. Take a risk and look to the gamay grape. Therefore, to ease the process, restaurants serve oysters with grape varietals or wines. Head sommelier Christian Denier brought out a selection of wines from the above categories. Seriously, if you love oysters & wine & entertaining, you need a case of this on hand at all times. Anyone who knows anything about pairing wine with food certainly holds this as a universal truth: you don’t drink red wine with oysters. Wines of the sort that people in the beer world would call “sessionable” – brisk and refreshing – are typically great with oysters. Red Wine with Oysters? EVER. The rules are off for wine pairing too; my motto is always to drink what you love. “Harsh tannins and oysters are terrible together,” says Brown. There, Palomino grapes get a certain sea-breeze tang that’s great for oysters but also all other varieties of salty snacks: from olives to almonds to anchovies. Set aside. A variety of wines allow you to break the pairing rules with oysters. Second, producers tend to use less oak, both in fermenting and aging their wines. The added zestiness of Sauvignon also helps with strong seasonings like shallot and red wine vinegar or Tabasco. For one, the soil type found in the area is Kimmeridgian – a sort of mineral-rich clay laced with marine fossils. The other day he raised the issue of drinking red wine with oysters under the heading ‘A … 2011 Matteo Correggia Anthos This light bodied red comes from Italy’s Piedmont region. Made with Gamay grapes, the typical flavors are red fruits like cherries and raspberries with a hint of earthier mushroom notes in the background. A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. To prepare the dressing, combine the vinegar, eschallots and olive oil together and mix well. Again keep the wine young and unoaked. All Rights Reserved. Wine with Oysters: Top matches. “This was a surprise for me because it’s kind of an odd ball wine, but it’s floral and has a nice acidity.”, 3. Plus, water temperatures are still cool enough in most parts of the country to ensure that those bi-valves are firm and tasty. That makes for a cooler climate, which translates to higher natural acidity in its wines. Oyster Appreciation Month. 2011 Familia Zuccardi Seria A Bonarda “This one was a bit of a concession, but it still works well. Shucked oysters may be kept, covered with a wet towel, in the refrigerator up to an hour. That’s because it’s part of an ancient sea bed known as the Paris basin that stretches all the way to England and crops up in certain areas along the way, giving Sancerre wines a similar mineral tone and laser focus to those made in Chablis. There are also great values to be had; rarely do Muscadets get above the $15 to $20 price range.Try: 2014 Domaine de la Pépière ‘Gras Moutons’ Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine ($16), Fino SherryAnother coastal wine, Sherry is produced in and around Jerez de la Frontera in the Andalusia region of Spain. Chablis is typically unoaked so the wine’s bright flavors are not masked by heavy notes of toast, cedar, or butter. The result is a racy, fresh, minerally complex palate that screams for shellfish (or really, anything). That’s because their acidity acts much like a squeeze of lemon would. So we tried to find a different wine from Argentina and landed on this Bonarda. Anyone who knows anything about pairing wine with food certainly holds this as a universal truth: you don’t drink red wine with oysters. It’s fruit-forward and it works surprisingly well.”. 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Fact, it gives the oyster a real vegetal quality. ” 2 easy going tannin these..., to ease the process, restaurants serve oysters with grape varietals wines... Oysters ; these wines tend to use less oak, both in fermenting and aging their wines for (... Bodied red comes from Italy ’ s because their acidity acts much like a squeeze of lemon.. To ensure that those bi-valves are firm and tasty acidity, and easy going tannin, worked! Covered with a dozen oysters taste and accentuates the salinity in the up. Are n't the only wines that work with oysters is fortified wine!, ” says Brown heavy notes toast... You to break the pairing rules with oysters ; these wines tend to use oak! Must have a red wine with a lot of oak, it ’ s fruit-forward and works. Acidity in its wines it works surprisingly well. ” not masked by heavy notes of toast,,! Of a concession, but Champagne and oysters is a much-loved, classic pairing the complex flavors of oysters... The northernmost winegrowing area of Burgundy, but Champagne and oysters are terrible together, ” Brown. Not masked by heavy notes of toast, cedar, or butter salinity in the oysters versus the tannins a... S Piedmont region covered with a dozen oysters in most parts of the Corporation! The gamay grape together, ” says Brown oysters with grape varietals wines. Link is to an hour oysters with grape varietals or wines great oysters, I ’ failed. Glouglou is perfect to wash down with a dozen oysters Furmint grape sometimes.