Wine and Southern Cuisine: Oysters on the Half Shell

When I started this blog, one of my objectives was to show how well wine fits in with our culture, in the hopes that it will begin to be acknowledged as a worthy participant.  Seriously...I like sweet tea, but how did it trump wine in the Southern beverage pecking order?  So, I'm starting a new series of posts called "Wine and Southern Cuisine" where I will, every once in a while, write about "classic" Southern dishes and wine pairings to go with them.  Of course, there is no objective basis for which dishes I deem "classic", but I was born and raised below the Mason-Dixon, so I feel somewhat qualified.  For today...oysters.

Even before my college days of quarter oysters at The Chimes, I've fancied the delectable bivalves from our Southern waters. Now, oysters certainly aren't exclusive to the South (in fact I just had some fantastic Cape Cod oysters while in Boston last week) but, as usual, I think we do them better than anyone else.  The mollusks can be prepared in a number of ways, from chargrilled to fried, even gussied up as Bienville or Rockefeller, but I prefer them in their birthday suit.

Much like wine, raw oysters can communicate a sense of place.  Sweet, briny, muddy, large, or small, the traits of the oyster can give a clear indication of where they're from.  Suck 'em straight out of the shell with their own liquor, or plop them on a cracker with some kicked-up cocktail sauce...oysters make a great snack, appetizer, or entire meal...and they are only made better with the right wines.

Before I start making wine pairing recommendations, let me disclose that my philosophy when it comes to matching food and wine tends to lean towards the "find a good/great wine and everything else will come together" camp.  I realize there are proclaimed arts and sciences to pairing wine with food, but I think especially good (and definitely great) wines will shine through, except in the rare instances where a dish totally overpowers the grape (think: braised short ribs in a rich gravy and Pinot Grigio).

With that said, there are several wines that pair nicely with raw oysters, most of them being crisp, lively whites.  My personal favorites are Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wine.  Sauvignon Blancs, or SBs (on account of my fingers are getting tired) are generally light and bright, with zippy acidity, along with citrus and herbal notes.  I find SBs, along with sparkling wines, have an ability to really bring out and sharpen the sweet-salty flavors from the oysters, the refreshing acidity kind of cleansing the palette and accentuating the textures of the bivalves.  Sparkling wines can be substantially more varied in their styles, but generally (I find) become a bit sweeter when immediately proceeded or followed by a slurp of oyster, only to wipe the palette clean with acidity and bubbles.  Sparkling wines made from grapes grown in limestone soils go even further, recalling the connection between the chalky flavors and textures in the wine and as those from the oyster shells (which is where limestone comes from).

Of widely available, Sauvignon Blancs, I prefer those from New Zealand.  Its cool climate manifests complexity in a somewhat predictable style that usually displays tropical fruit up front, followed by herbal/grassy flavors, finishing clean with lemon-lime citrus and racy acidity.  Brancott, Mohua, and Nobilo are three of my favorites in the under-$15 range.  Cloudy Bay and Whitehaven are excellent and dependable options in the under-$25 range.  There are plenty of other good, affordable, non-New Zealand SBs that are widely available, such as Bogle, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Joel Gott, Vina Montes, and Veramonte.


Again, there are several good, affordable, widely-available options in sparkling wine.  Domaine Chandon's Brut Classic (under $25) always comes to mind because perhaps my first experience pairing oysters with bubbly happened at that winery.  Sipping bubbly and slurping oysters out on their patio in Napa will endear anyone.  Domaine Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Brut is another good one.  If you are willing to spend a little more and/or look for them, Argyle Brut Willamette Valley, Ceja Sparkling Brut, and Moet Imperial are excellent choices.  Seriously, it's worth it.

 Next up:  BBQ pork.  Don't know when I'll weave in the next "Wine and Southern Cuisine" post, but when I do, I'll be digging on the swine. 

What do you enjoy drinking with oysters (beer is a perfectly acceptable answer)?  What are your favorite Southern dishes?  Wine pairings?