As oyster lovers, we believe the delicate briny flavour of oysters with the right glass of wine is one of the greatest pleasures in life. That is why putting in the work to find the right wine pairing for this delicacy is worth every effort. I know it is a tough job, but someone has to do it.
To help us with this task, we consulted Mrs Google to see what she had to say about which white wine to drink with oysters. We typed in “oyster” and “white wine pairings” and a load of suggestions popped up, mostly around muscadet and bubbles. Now, full, disclosure here: Muscadet is not a wine I’m familiar with. However, I’m including it on our “what wine to drink with oysters” list because thanks to what I discovered on my Internet trawling, I am very inspired to try it. From France’s Loire Valley, it is available in New Zealand from good wine stockists. I’ll let you know my thoughts.
A good starting point for our wine and with oysters guide
I found this paragraph from the Wine Spectator very helpful.
“Pick a wine based on what condiments you put on a raw oyster. If you like ’em plain, you probably want something light and mild in flavour, such as Muscadet. If you like a squirt of lemon or lime, as I do, or the traditional vinegar-based mignonette, you probably want a tart, lively wine like Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, which has a citrusy quality that’s just like adding a few drops of lemon or lime when you sip it after the oyster. If you like more complex flavours, such as the oft-used ketchup-and-horseradish “cocktail” sauce, you’ll probably want something fruity and a bit sweet, to balance the sweetness in the sauce.”
Muscadet with oysters – a classic pairing
According to the American website, the Grape Collective, “Muscadet and oysters may be a pair as popular as peanut butter and jelly”. Muscadet (“muss-kuh-day”) is a bone-dry, light-bodied white wine made with Melon de Bourgogne grapes. Because of the style of the wine, and the geography of the area it is produced in, it is often acclaimed as the perfect accompaniment to seafood. It is rated as an excellent food pairing wine due to its minerally, citrus-like flavour and high acidity. It is said to have an almost saline-like quality to the taste.
Described as a bright, crisp wine with green fruit notes of lime, apples, pears, and even lemons, it is apparently a wine that when drunk with oysters will leave you wanting that second sip. A bright, crisp muscadet will complement oysters much as lemon juice will. Allegedly, it accentuates the sweetness in the oyster while slightly muting the salinity with an immaculately clean finish.
Bubbles and dry sparkling wines
Sparkling wine is a classic partner for briny oysters. Bubbles provide the perfect textural contrast to the smooth creamy texture of the oysters. The briny, salty flavour of oysters also pairs wonderfully with the crisp, acidic taste of sparkling wine. The acidity cuts through the richness of the oysters, creating a nice balance. A sparkling wine tends to have crisp fruit flavours that complement the subtle sweetness of the oyster meat.
Chablis
Chablis is composed entirely of chardonnay grapes grown in the colder Burgundy area of France. Dry, high-acid and mineral-driven, Chablis is perfect for those who love dry white wines with citrus undertones. If you’re looking for a New Zealand alternative, try an unoaked or very lightly oaked chardonnay from Central Otago.
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon blanc works particularly well when serving oysters with Asian flavours and strong seasonings like shallot and vinegar. The wine complements oysters thanks to its high acidity and zesty citrus flavours. Pairing oysters with a sauvignon blanc is sure to bring those ‘summer vibes’ alive, even on the chilliest of days.
Albariño
This wine is similar to sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio and riesling in their bracing acidity. Albariño wine (“alba-reen-yo”) is a light-bodied white that grows mostly in Spain and Portugal, but New Zealand is now producing some lovely examples. It is crisp and has a lot of citrus zing to complement oysters’ sweetness.
Happiness is wine and oysters
I think it’s fair to say that no one eats oysters simply for nourishment. Just as no one drinks wine solely to quench their thirst. Instead, folk consume wine and oysters to promote happiness. Ernest Hemingway best described this happiness in his memoir, A Moveable Feast.
“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”
So, enjoy, feel happy, and remember, eat what you like and drink what you love, but please pair responsibly.
The oyster of choice
Thanks to our careful husbandry and intelligent market selection, our plump Pacific oysters have become the oyster of choice in the Auckland restaurant scene and are exported in large numbers to Pacific Rim countries.
Feel free to contact us directly should you want more information. As a family business, we are very proud of what we produce and sell – and we only sell the best.
