Special Valentine's Day Pairings

The mid-Winter months are incredible months in which to source great oysters (there’s an old theory that months containing the letter “R” are great months for oysters and luckily for us, the month containing Valentine’s Day does indeed have a silent “R” in the spelling of the name). Oysters at their best are very light and showcase an elegant briny saltiness that is indicative of their place of origin. This slight seafood quality of the oyster always pairs best with a light, refreshing white wine. Classically, Sauvignon Blancs of French origin are paired with Oysters on the Half Shell and given the chance, you should certainly enjoy that pairing.

However, fried foods require bubbles. If you’re having bubbles and you’re having a romantic Valentine’s Dinner (I categorize any dinner experience during February as Valentine’s Dinner) you might as well have champagne. Champagne with a raw oyster would most likely be somewhat overpowering, but with the added intensity of frying the oyster, the pairing comes into focus. For this to work, I like to focus on a Chardonnay-based Champagne style known as Blanc de Blancs (white from white grapes). These champagnes have a high toned, brighter and more cleansing flavor than other Champagnes. If it’s truly a special occasion, I’d choose Salon, which is a special champagne only made in certain vintages and only made from Chardonnay. However, more often, I’d choose another Champagne related to Salon called Delamotte. The Delamotte 1999 vintage champagne is truly refreshing, lively and wholly suited to this pairing.

— Andy Chabot, Director of Food & Beverage