Wine and Raw Oysters - Yum!

There are some definite benefits to working at Balaban's.
Take yesterday, for example.
A customer here gets a dozen oysters for lunch.
Rather than impulsively grab one off his plate while he's not looking, I decide instead to buy a dozen for myself for dinner that night.
So that's what I did.
And here's something that most of you don't know about me:
I'm a very good shucker!
Yep. It's all in the wrist.
I know they're not for everyone, but, for me, there is nothing like fresh raw oysters.
I taste that fresh, clean, briny deliciousness, and I feel as though I become one with the ocean. And my wife, Judy, likes them even better than I do!
The right wine takes the experience to a whole new level.
For the past 18 years, Taylor Shellfish Farms in Shelton WA has been hosting The Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition. Last year, the judges were asked what they wanted from their oyster wines.
Here are some of their responses:
"Refreshing", "Brisk and clean", "No vanilla or butter", "Light and fresh", "Steely", "Crisp and flinty", "Minerally".
I'll go along with all that.
Unfortunately, there aren't too many places in St. Louis where I trust the quality of the raw oysters. Balaban's, of course, is one. Two others that come to mind are Annie Gunns and Demun Oyster Bar. I'm sure there are more places too. 
So, what wines with oysters - raw oysters?
Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio, unoaked Chardonnay, like Chablis, French Sauvignon Blanc, like Sancerre, Chenin Blanc, Muscadet and Champagne or other dry sparkling wine.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

Dog Days of Summer Wines

The "dog days" of summer are here.
Not the best of times for the wine business. Sometimes I think that the only ones thinking about wine right now are those of us in the industry.
It's all perfectly understandable.
It's HOT out there. People are taking vacations and going away on the weekends. 
Kids are home from school and need attention.
Beer takes on greater importance.
And on and on.
But I'm going to try and get you all to think about wine - even if it's for just a little while.
My dog day wines are light, crisp, refreshing, "smile inducing" and reasonably priced.
Here are five of my favorites. All available at Balaban's:
2013 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc - $15
2013 Sineann Pinot Grigio- $22
2013 Renegade Rose' - $14
2013 Meiomi Chardonnay - $22
2013 Saracco Moscato (slightly sweet bubbly) - $18
Even though I drink red wines in the summer, actually year round, I couldn't bring myself to select a red as a "summer" wine - it just wasn't working for me.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

Bad doggy!

Tough Pairing - Wine and fresh tomatoes

Pretty soon.

Pretty soon I will be eating my favorite food of summer.

Tomatoes.
Fresh, succulent, juicy, ripe home grown tomatoes. I love them - and really miss them when the season is over.
But pairing wine with fresh tomatoes can be a challenge. Here are some rules I follow:
No red wine
Even the lightest reds overpower the tomato's delicate flavors, and big tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon clash terribly with the tomato's acidity
No oaky, buttery Chardonnays
Once again, the tomato's acid clashes with the oak.
No overly acidic whites
A little acid is okay, but, choose a highly acidic wine and you're left with one big "acid fest". This probably rules out most Chablis, Champagne and Italian whites.
I've had great success sticking to fruity, lightly acidic whites and rose' wines - both still and sparkling.
The rose's in particular go well with your classic caprese' salad.
Here are some wines I've enjoyed with my tomatoes - all available at Balaban's.
Still Wine
2013 Naia Verdejo - $16
2013 Elk Cove Pinot Gris - $20
2013 La Manarine Cotes du Rhone Rose' - $16
Sparkling Wine
Flor Prosecco - $20
Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose' - $24

Have a great weekend and a fantastic 4th of July!

Tom