
Eating this?:
- Raw oysters - shuck em, being careful not to lose the liquid (liqueur) inside.
- Chablis. This Chardonnay based French wine is grown in soil that contains fossilized oyster shells. It was literally grown to pair with oysters! Chablis typically sees only a little time in oak, so the wines will be nice and crisp and excellent for this pairing. Cheaper Chablis can be disappointing, so you may want to splurge for a Grand Cru to get the best result.
- Sauvignon Blanc. When you are looking for an acidic white wine, Sauvignon Blanc is a great option. California, French or New Zealand versions will go nicely with oysters. Be careful to not to get a version that is oaked (sometimes bottles as Fume Blanc).
- Sparkling Wine - but be careful! Champagne or other sparkling wine is often paired with oysters, but you want to be careful to get a crisp fruity version so the taste does not overpower your oysters. A Blanc de Blanc Champagne which is made from all (or almost all) Chardonnay grapes is a good bet.
- Avoid Red Wine. You will almost never hear such a generalization in food and wine pairing. The truth is you could look to a super light red like a Beaujolais made from the Gamay grape for a possible pairing, but there are too many spot on options to mess around with anything in the red world.
- Avoid Fuller Bodied Whites. Especially avoid big buttery, oaky Chardonnay wines. As fantastic as a Chablis will pair with oysters, the same grape made in a fuller bodied style will destroy the delicate taste of the oyster and will likely end up making the wine taste unbalanced.
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