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
Gregoletto Italy | Veneto
The 2022 has a sweet nose with summery whiffs of peach and apricot, a silky mid-palate, and a lovely citrus and mineral finish.
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
Mostly Grenache with a bit of native Niellucciu, the bottle is loaded with fresh red berry fruit, finishing with wild, herbaceous maquis.
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
It fills the mouth with suspicions of honeysuckle and pulpy stone fruits, all while maintaining classic notes of iodine and sea breeze that make this the vinous equivalent of tidepooling.
Veuve Fourny & Fils France | Champagne
No need to wait for the perfect moment to enjoy a bottle; popping the cork on their Blanc de Blancs is a special occasion unto itself!
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 de Villaine France | Burgundy
Aligoté may actually be an even more precise conduit for Burgundian terroir than Chardonnay.
Albert Boxler France | Alsace
Soaring with aromas of brioche and praline, this lush and luxurious bottling sets the benchmark for Crémants everywhere.
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.
Domaine François Lumpp France | Burgundy
The Lumpp style is on full display with this beauty: open-knit, fruit-forward, silky, and seductive Pinot Noir beckons.
Domaine Savary France | Burgundy
Ethereal and bright, with the notes of cherry and earth that get red-Burgundy lovers’ hearts racing.
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
Savor it while you can, because your glass will be empty before you know it, leaving you only with the spicy, mineral-laden aftertaste of a bottle that went down way too easily.
Nicolas Maillart France | Champagne
A very pale rosé color from the high percentage of Pinot Noir, with a beautiful perfume of orange blossom and an incredibly soft mousse.
La Marca di San Michele Italy | Le Marche
The wine’s salinity finds balance with a delightfully tart note of lemon rind.
Peter Dipoli Italy | Alto Adige
** New Wine Added ** The uncommon location and treatment capture a different face of this very familiar variety, deep and mouth-filling yet carrying a bracing jolt of limey acidity.
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.
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.
Italy | Veneto
The 2022 has a sweet nose with summery whiffs of peach and apricot, a silky mid-palate, and a lovely citrus and mineral finish.
France | Corsica
Mostly Grenache with a bit of native Niellucciu, the bottle is loaded with fresh red berry fruit, finishing with wild, herbaceous maquis.
France | Loire
It fills the mouth with suspicions of honeysuckle and pulpy stone fruits, all while maintaining classic notes of iodine and sea breeze that make this the vinous equivalent of tidepooling.
France | Champagne
No need to wait for the perfect moment to enjoy a bottle; popping the cork on their Blanc de Blancs is a special occasion unto itself!
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 | Burgundy
Aligoté may actually be an even more precise conduit for Burgundian terroir than Chardonnay.
France | Alsace
Soaring with aromas of brioche and praline, this lush and luxurious bottling sets the benchmark for Crémants everywhere.
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 | Burgundy
The Lumpp style is on full display with this beauty: open-knit, fruit-forward, silky, and seductive Pinot Noir beckons.
France | Burgundy
Ethereal and bright, with the notes of cherry and earth that get red-Burgundy lovers’ hearts racing.
Italy | Sardinia
A fleshy and savory unfiltered Vermentino from northern Sardinia.
France | Beaujolais
Savor it while you can, because your glass will be empty before you know it, leaving you only with the spicy, mineral-laden aftertaste of a bottle that went down way too easily.
France | Champagne
A very pale rosé color from the high percentage of Pinot Noir, with a beautiful perfume of orange blossom and an incredibly soft mousse.
France | Provence
It is a seafood lover’s dream wine.
Italy | Le Marche
The wine’s salinity finds balance with a delightfully tart note of lemon rind.
Italy | Alto Adige
** New Wine Added ** The uncommon location and treatment capture a different face of this very familiar variety, deep and mouth-filling yet carrying a bracing jolt of limey acidity.
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 | 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.
More Collections
An Adventure Through Alsace
If you visit Alsace, even just once, you’ll wonder why it isn’t discussed more often. There are so many charming towns here, filled with quaint, half-timbered homes, and each of these towns seems to be surrounded by some of the most beautiful vineyards you’ve ever seen. The vast expanse of vines and their immediate proximity to each of these villages underscores just how important wine has been to the geography—and commerce—here for centuries…
Spotlight on the Dubourdieus
Nearly fifty years ago, in November 1979, Kermit introduced readers to a dry white Graves he discovered at Chez Serge, his favorite Paris bistro at the time. “Their wine list is short,” he wrote, “the wines impeccable, the prices fair, the food down-to-earth and superb. Château Graville-Lacoste is wine to complement cuisine…
Anniversary Sale!
In celebration of the 53 years since we opened our doors in October 1972, take 20% off dozens of selections, including decades-long classics and recent discoveries on the wine route in France and Italy!
Burgundy’s Greatest Overachievers
The only problem at this hugely exciting Burgundy domaine is that we usually receive such miniscule quantities that we don’t get to showcase them widely. With the generous 2023 vintage, we got a touch more, and we are thrilled to share the Vincents’ masterpieces with you.
Goldilocks and the Three Barberas
Sometimes I think Barbera gets lost in the mix of great Piemonte bar-words, most notably Barolo and Barbaresco. While the latter two are geographical zones that produce complex, age-worthy reds from the Nebbiolo variety, Barbera (Bar-BEAR-uh) is a grape that yields some of Piemonte’s most luscious and charming red wines…
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!
This Season’s Staples
It might seem counterintuitive to put the words understated and Sancerre in the same sentence, but the description is befitting of Domaine Roger Neveu, where simply beautiful standards are produced from a family whose agricultural roots date back to the 1600s…
Carlotto’s Alto Adige Specialties
Michela Carlotto and her father, Ferruccio, farm a tiny estate of several hectares in the Alto Adige town of Ora, south of Bolzano. The specialty of this village is Lagrein, a red grape native to the region, and these folks have it down. They produce a single Lagrein Riserva bottling, aged in large oak casks, and you will be hard-pressed to find a Lagrein with this much finess…
Four Bottles That Have Blown Me Away Lately
Getting to taste our imports all the time is a little like how I imagine it feels to have season courtside tickets to the Warriors. You are unbelievably privileged to routinely behold world-class talent, and yet, no matter how impressive these NBA stars are, after thirty games, you probably take their level for granted a little bit. After half a season, it might take a transcendent Steph Curry performance to get you out of your seat and remind you how extraordinary this spectacle is…
A Classic, Vibrant Vintage from Famille Savary
Certain wine estates are all about the story: centuries of family production, obscure heirloom grape varieties, perilous vertical vineyards, radical production methods... With Domaine Savary, forget the fluff and romantic backstory. Focus instead on what’s in your glass: delicious, vibrant, classic wines that place this among the most consistent, reliable Chablis to be found…
Arretxea in Irouléguy
Oh, how far Irouléguy, the hidden gem of French Basque country, has come! Once upon a time, not so long ago, a local joke went something like this: “How do you say vinegar in Basque? Irouléguy!” Vines covered hardly any ground, and you could count the growers on a single hand. Enter the Riouspeyrous family…
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.