Don't know what to drink with oysters? Let us be your guide :)
We believe that almost anything can be a bivalve beverage, and stuffiness is never necessary. Our biggest recommendation is to not overthink it and go with your own taste. But, just in case, we have a list of our favorites for your hosting ease. Get ready to impress your in-laws, your friends, and ultimately, yourself!
Muscadet
If there’s any one classic pairing for oysters, it’s the always-bright, always-crisp Muscadet. Not to be confused with the syrupy sweet Moscato, Muscadet is a sure to be your new classic french white. Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine is the best known of the Muscadet appellations of the Loire Valley's Pays Nantais district, on the central western coast of France. Get ready for high acid and minerality, bright citrus, soft melon, and soft floral notes. Ask your local wine shop for a recommendation, but really, you can't go wrong here.
Albariño
This grape claims dual citizenship of both Spain (in the Rias Baixas region) and Portugal. A friend to all things from the sea, Albariño pairs exceptionally well with white fish, meats and leafy green herbs. Albariño is a dry, white wine with a complex aroma profile often including orange blossom, freshly cut grass, jasmine or geranium.
Txakolina
Pronounced chock-uh-LEE-nah, this wine coming from the Spanish basque country has been growing in popularity in recent years. This is an ocean wine, oftentimes grapes being grown in very close proximity to the Bay of Biscay. Their flavor closely resembles the aromas of the ocean air, rather than any particular kind of fruit. The end product is a zippily effervescent, briny, bright, and acidic wine that pairs beautifully with shellfish, olives, and salty snacks.
Classic Champagne (Or really anything in the Champagne Method)
There’s very little out there that doesn’t taste great with bubbles, but oysters pair particularly well. And while there are plenty of fun bubbly pet-nats and other wines being produced, we still love to pop a bottle of celebratory Champagne. The soft roundness, the heavier texture, and the delicate and floral mouthfeel is as close to saintly as possible when poured into the freshly slurpled oyster shell. The most bougie of oyster shooters.
Sancerre
Considered to be the best Sauvingon Blanc, this wine is really worth the hype. Another Loire Valley gem, the wine is named after the Medieval town in which the grapes reside. Known for it's melodic blend of minerality, essence of stone fruits (apricot being the most pronounced), and slight floral nose, consider this an elevated pairing for oysters.
Natural Wines
We really do love the always trendy skin-contact, which has a wide range in subtlety and orange hue, and never say no to a pêt-nat... The votes are in folks! Yeasty, zippy, fermented, and non-invasive wines are here to stay. While not all are explicitly designed for seafood, the natural expression of the wine lends itself some creative room for the senses.
Fino Sherry
Another coastal wine, Sherry is produced in and around Jerez de la Frontera in the Andalusia region of Spain. 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. Get yourself a snack plate and ready yourself from a wonderfully rich yet dry fortified experience. We promise you won't regret it! Pro-tip: Sherry and Madeira make INCREDIBLE oyster shooters. Pour a splash into the empty shell and enjoy :)
Citrus Beer
It is well known that oysters served with a squeeze of lemon or lime can bring the brine to a bright new life. So when pairing beer with Oysters, it makes sense that a beer with citrus as part of the brewing process would be a great addition to any oyster feast.
We recommend : Maine's own Allagash White
Beer Notes: Allagash White is a take on a traditional Belgian-style wheat beer, brewed with oats and wheat, then spiced with coriander, Curaçao orange peel and an undisclosed secret ingredient. It's crisp and refreshing, with big citrus notes and spiciness. It has a full-bodied mouthfeel, and little to no bitterness.
Stout
Stouts may not be the first thing you think of when pairing with Oysters, but according to culinary science, Stouts and oysters are a match made in heaven. Stouts can be described as dark and rich, with flavors of chocolate, vanilla, coffee often with bitter undertones. The sharp brine of the oyster will pair with the toasty flavors of the stout cutting much from the bitter finish of the beer and leaving you with an enjoyable creamy mouthfeel. A lighter stout under 9% ABV is recommended so as to not overpower the Oysters.
With Love and Oysters,
x Glidden Point
