The Best Wine to Pair with Oysters
Oysters have a delightful salty yet buttery essence. Some other typical flavors you may encounter include hints of melon or cucumber along with an even briny aftertaste. The texture is generally described as silky and plump, even a bit slippery. If you’re a fan of the seafood delicacy and favor its acquired taste, you may sympathize with the necessity for wine pairing with oysters.
Oysters are decadent with flavors that reminisce the ocean combined with their sublime creaminess. However, if you do not correctly pair oysters and wine, you could risk losing all the elegant flavor notes. Not only that, but the wrong wine with oysters could even leave a metallic aftertaste! To avoid these missteps, we have created a specialized guide to help you uncover the best wine with oysters.
Whether you plan to slurp down the seafood delight at home or in our nautical restaurant, Stiltsville Fish Bar, you can be confident in your ability to pair oysters and wine.
Freshness
When it comes to flavor, many will conquer the oyster’s freshness to determine your bite’s quality. However, once you have your fresh catch, how you plan to serve your dish is the first step to consider in oyster wine pairing.
The condiment you choose can play a huge role in determining what is the best wine with oysters. Rockefeller or fresh, a nice squeeze of lemon is the ideal condiment to cut through the oyster flavors while revealing a tangy zest.
However, when you find your perfect oyster wine, you will find that au-natural oysters are the way to go. Correctly pairing oysters and wine will take the place of any condiment or lemon splash. Your oyster wine will have enough tang and bite that a condiment becomes unnecessary.
Oyster Wine Pairing
When you are done reading this article, we hope you will feel inspired and confident about pairing wine with oysters. At Stiltsville Fish Bar, we serve fresh oysters and have a superb wine selection filled with various grapes that are sure to compliment your seafood of choice.
While you are oyster wine pairing, you must select a wine that has a less fruity taste. Typically, wine from a cool climate is a great place to start when finding your oyster wine. A particular natural acid structure of the wine is also needed to compliment the flavors of oysters.
On our list, you will notice that we have selected many old-world wines. This is because old-world wines tend to be less fruity while having a fabulous innate acid structure. This ideal combination of characteristics encompasses many of the wine labels we have selected for our list.
Trust Us
Thus, our composition contains affordable labels as well as high-end wine labels. However, most of the upscale labels offer entry-level versions that beset the same flavor characteristics. Therefore, it may be worth experimenting with different brands to find your perfect oyster wine.
1.Chablis
Chablis is a Chardonnay grown in France’s Burgundy region. The wine has a less fruity flavor, and more acidity than a warmer origin climate many Chardonnays have, making it the perfect wine to pair with oysters.
2.Muscadet
Muscadet is grown in France’s Loire Valley. The crisp and bright flavors make this wine an excellent choice for wine pairing with oysters. The classy beverage also comes at a low price tag, making it wonderful for those who want to experiment with a few flavor profiles.
3.Picpoul de Pinet
With its breezy lemony aroma, Picpoul de Pinet wine is an excellent choice for oyster wine pairing. The traditional grape is grown in Southwest France. You can also find this dry white wine with a cost-effective price tag. You are sure to have a full-flavored experience with Picpoul de Pinet.
4.Pinot Grigio
We all probably know and love a classic Pinot Grigio. This Italian wine is a fine choice for a meal of oysters and wine. The wine originated in Northern Italy. Your pour of this white wine will be dry amongst citrus hints of acidity along with a light essence of sour green apples and honey. Pinot Grigio is very popular in the wine world, but you must be cautious when choosing the array of options.
It would be best if you looked for where the producer made the wine. Classic Italian wine regions like Friuli, Lombardy, Trentino, and the Veneto are trustworthy and typically sure to produce delightful wines.
5.Albarino
Albarino is a logical choice when it comes to finding the best wine with oysters. The grape is grown in Rias Baixas, a region in Northern Spain. The wine has firm acidity and has peachy flavor nodes.
Besides their remarkable wine, this region of Spain produces world-renowned seafood too. The people of this region have paired Albarino with seafood, and it has indeed had the test of time.
6.Sancerre
Sancerre is an unwilted wine. The crisp flavors are fresh with hints of spicey nodes. The acidity is uncovered through citrus hints. Sancerre is an ample choice when it comes to wine pairing with oysters. The varietals of this wine are Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir. The soils that produce Sancerre are also very similar to that of Champagne.
You can find a great variety of Sancerres at a reasonable price tag, while the most expensive Sancerres are under $100. The high-quality grapes of the Loire Valley make the best Sancerres.
7.Dry Champagne
Oysters and Champagne are iconic duos. The carbonation in Champagne does something unique with the creaminess of oysters. The bubbles practically balance out the milkiness of an oyster. The pairing is spectacular, to say the least, making a glass of very dry Champagne the best wine with oysters.
Champagne must be grown in the wine region of Champagne, France. Did you know it is illegal to label your wine or any product as Champagne unless its grapes are grown in Champagne? Champagne can have an expensive price point due to its exclusivity. However, when it comes to oyster wine pairing, you will not be disappointed. Make a toast to the fantastic flavors.
8.Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine, similar to a dry Champagne, is just as fabulous as a comparison. Sparkling wine’s combination will still balance out the texture of oysters, and the sweet flavors make a lovely pairing. Processco or even light sparkling wines from the U.S., Australia, or New Zealand could work fantastically for wine pairing with oysters.
Conclusion
Wine can compliment oysters so much that you may find yourself leaving any condiment behind. That is if you pair your wine correctly. We hope this guide has helped you narrow down your search for the perfect oyster wine.
Do you enjoy seafood? Call us today and reserve your spot at one of the hottest restaurants in Sunset Harbor. Stiltsville Fish Bar offers various fresh kinds of seafood and fabulous wine to boot. Our well-trained staff will help you find the best wine pairing for whatever seafood you choose.
