They say you should only eat fresh oysters in months that contain the letter R.
This is because oysters are at their peak when our local waters are the coldest, and they spawn in the summer months when the water temperature is slightly warmer. The saying, originating in the early 20th century, was also a useful safety mechanism for a time when there was little refrigeration and even less food safety education. Hence, eating shellfish in the summer months wasn't a good idea. Obviously today BC oysters are available year round, but there is no denying the cooler fall/winter months are when the peak season for our Kusshi, Fanny Bay, Little Wing, Beach Angel, Read Island and more.
There's also no denying that fresh oysters are a natural mate for wine, with Champagne being the classic perfect pairing. But there's more to oysters than just Champagne. When pairing wines to oysters, remember that like goes with like. Reach for wines with briny, salty, mineral notes to complement the fresh salinity of the shellfish. Streamline and sessionable wines often make a good match, as do ones with a squeeze of lemon and / or a riff of smoke, or toast.
Here are our Top 10 wines to pair with oysters, tasted recently at GOW. It's SeptembeR: enjoy!