Coast to Coast on the Half Shell
by Allyson Noman
With their many nuances and preparations in mind, we’ve put together a collection of bottles to highlight oysters’ regional qualities and to celebrate the joie de vivre they elicit.
With their many nuances and preparations in mind, we’ve put together a collection of bottles to highlight oysters’ regional qualities and to celebrate the joie de vivre they elicit.
Coast to Coast on the Half Shell
by Allyson Noman
Oysters, like wine, reflect their terroir. Those from the choppy, cold, and salty Atlantic have smooth, shallow shells. Their delicate, slightly translucent flesh is clean and crisp, with a refreshing burst of brine. The Pacific Ocean is gentler and more mild; its oysters are deep-cupped with scalloped edges, and the pearly, opaque flesh has a richer, creamy texture, with a kiss of melony sweetness. Large and meaty oysters from the Gulf Coast inspired locals to try them grilled or fried—oyster po’ boys and Oysters Rockefeller (a decadent preparation birthed during an escargot shortage) are both staples in New Orleans.
Even a half-shell oyster purist such as myself can’t deny the abundance of ways to experience this sea creature. I often fondly recall my years spent running a seafood restaurant and the pleasure of sampling our daily selection of oysters from coast to coast, deciding which wines by-the-glass would provide the most delightful pairings. The possibilities were, and are, nearly endless.
With their many nuances and preparations in mind, we’ve put together a collection of bottles to highlight oysters’ regional qualities and to celebrate the joie de vivre they elicit. There is hardly anything better than a day spent with friends, shucking and slurping both oysters and wine. Mineral-driven Muscadet or elegant Champagne are classic pairings, but other mouthwatering matches include white Burgundy, stony iterations of Sauvignon Blanc, or salt-kissed Vermentino. We’ve also included unexpected options, like an Italian Sylvaner from Manni Nössing in Alto Adige, and a French one from Meyer-Fonné in Alsace. And—gasp!—even some reds, because everyone should know the distinct pleasure of Beaujolais alongside a barbecued or broiled bivalve.
Wines In The Collection
Meyer-Fonné France | Alsace
This bottle gives some of my favorite grand cru Rieslings a run for their money with a nose evoking peach skin and pear and a palate that ripples with fresh acidity.
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
When you smell it, keep in mind that no other wine, besides a Melon de Bourgogne grown in the gabbro soil of Gorges, could possibly smell like this one does.
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
A single-vineyard bottling whose age lends a soft, drawn butter richness to its bright, tart citrus palate.
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
Gorges boasts an incredible texture and tension imparted by decomposed, blue-green igneous rock, seventy-year-old vines, and years-long aging on the lees.
Roland Lavantureux France | Burgundy
Displaying both the oyster shell quality we love about Chablis and the sunny orchard fruit notes that make Bourgogne blancs so delicious.
France | Alsace
This bottle gives some of my favorite grand cru Rieslings a run for their money with a nose evoking peach skin and pear and a palate that ripples with fresh acidity.
France | Loire
When you smell it, keep in mind that no other wine, besides a Melon de Bourgogne grown in the gabbro soil of Gorges, could possibly smell like this one does.
France | Provence
It is a seafood lover’s dream wine.
Italy | Sardinia
A fleshy and savory unfiltered Vermentino from northern Sardinia.
France | Loire
A single-vineyard bottling whose age lends a soft, drawn butter richness to its bright, tart citrus palate.
France | Loire
Gorges boasts an incredible texture and tension imparted by decomposed, blue-green igneous rock, seventy-year-old vines, and years-long aging on the lees.
France | Burgundy
Displaying both the oyster shell quality we love about Chablis and the sunny orchard fruit notes that make Bourgogne blancs so delicious.
More Collections
Unheated Rivalry
It’s a bit funny to write about two equally fantastic Bandols made by men with quite opposite personalities. I don’t imagine their interpretation of the métier is that different—make wines that express their terroir—but a vigneron always leaves their mark, and that fascinates me…
A Primer on Vouvray
Vouvray’s wine is a product of what we call the Chenin Blanc grape, but I prefer the local name, Pineau de la Loire, and [René] Loyau is of the opinion that the original plantings of Pineau were Pinot, the Chardonnay, imported to Vouvray from Burgundy. Over sixteen centuries or more, the plant evolved ever so slowly as it adapted to Vouvray’s soil and climate. Even today, Loyau says, certain Vouvrays show a striking aromatic kinship to the Chardonnays of the Côte d’Or…
The Alchemy of Red Wine and Braised Beef
In the Adventures Club bulletin from 2011, where I found Chef Chris Lee’s recipe for beef braised with red wine and chocolate, Chris muses that rustic French stews are typically quite soupy and made to be sopped-up with lots of country bread. The French actually have a word for the act of sweeping bread across one’s bowl or plate to capture every last bit…
Snowed in, Tuscan Style
On a Friday afternoon last month, as a winter storm closed in on my mountain town, I made a few last-minute stops to stock up on provisions for what promised to be a snowed-in weekend. The final stop on my checklist was my local butcher, to pick up a cut of pork I’d never considered preparing before Chez Panisse chef Gary Podesto created a recipe he called “Coppa à la Matignon” for our Adventures Club last winter…
Closing Ceremony in Verona
From the volcanic Garganegas of Davide Vignato to the lively whites and reds of Corte Gardoni to the majestic reds of Quintarelli, all of these wines would be right at home among the dazzling fireworks and spectacle of the closing ceremony in nearby Verona...
Preserving and Enhancing Aeolian Winemaking Traditions
The magnificent Aeolian Islands are a string of volcanic islands north of Sicily that include Vulcano, Lipari, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli (an active volcano), Filicudi, and Alicudi. Capers are a primary local export, particularly from Salina and Lipari—the two largest and most populous of the islands— but Antonino “Nino” Caravaglio is at once the caper champion of the region and its wine maestro. He has built what is unquestionably the most qualitative collection of vineyards and wines in this little slice of Italy…
New Arrivals
Here is a collection of recent arrivals. Every week, we’ll be adding a dozen or more new arrivals, so check back often for your favorite classics or new discoveries!
The Carpe Vinum Collection
An ever-changing offering of wines that are just about to sell out; one last opportunity to seize a range of selections before they disappear from our shelves forever.
50th Anniversary Merchandise
When the esteemed French wine artist Michel Tolmer created beautiful artwork for our 50th anniversary, we knew right away that we had to feature it on a few select items of merch. After spending maybe a little too much time researching the options, we landed on a classy, leather-strap cap, a comfortable t-shirt made from 100% cotton, and a tote made with incredibly sturdy, fair-trade, and organic cotton by a certified B corp that invests in the livelihoods of women and farmers of India, featuring three wine sleeves and two other compartments for all of your other needs!
Recent Wine Club Selections
Our five wine clubs feature our best values from France and Italy as well as complex and cellar-worthy wines.
