Winter is the best time to enjoy oysters — especially with bubbles.

BY JOANNE SASVARI

Is there a more celebratory pairing than oysters and sparkling wine? Jess Taylor sure doesn’t think so.

“Oysters and bubbles are old friends. They balance each other’s best traits,” says the owner of Shuck Taylor’s oyster bar and the Wandering Mollusk. “You have that ceremony when you pop the cork. It just gets everyone’s attention.”

Winter, as it turns out, is the very best time of year for oysters, especially enjoyed raw on the half shell at happy hours and festive gatherings. Indeed, in France and many other parts of the world, oysters are pretty much synonymous with New Year’s celebrations, and that’s one tradition we can get behind.

It’s not so much that oysters are safer to eat in winter — modern refrigeration and farming means they can be consumed year round. (That said, any uncooked seafood always carries some risk.) It’s more that oysters tend to be firmer and fatter in winter.

“It all comes down to texture,” Taylor says. “You want oysters crisp and you want oysters clean.”

It all comes down to texture

If you plan to serve oysters at home this season, you can either shuck them yourself or have them catered and shucked for you. If you do it yourself, Taylor recommends selecting your oysters from live tanks at seafood markets such as Finest at Sea. “You want to keep them in their habitat as long as possible,” he says, adding that keeping them cold “is everything.”

He also recommends serving oysters with something acidic, such as lemon wedges, vinegary mignonette sauce, tangy hot sauce or a crisp white wine, especially a fizzy one. Acidity, he points out, balances brininess and lets the sweetness shine.

Then slurp and sip with abandon.

“There’s an anticipation, a ceremony [to serving oysters],” he says. “It’s a very community, family-style way of eating. There’s something very soulful about it. It brings people together. It’s why having an oyster bar is so fun.”

Gear for Your Oyster and Bubbles Party

Champagne Coupe  Forget the flute — it’s awkward to drink out of and doesn’t enhance the flavour of the wine. Instead, serve your bubbles in a white wine glass (like they do in Champagne) or a vintage-style coupe like this elegant one by Waterford.   

Oyster Knife and Gloves  If you plan to shuck your own oysters, you’ll need the right tools, starting with a proper knife and protective glove. You can’t go wrong with the gear designed for “Shucker Paddy” McMurray, Canada’s shucking champion and Guinness world record holder.

Seafood Tower  When serving shellfish, it’s essential to keep it as cold as possible, which means you need a platter that can hold lots of ice. But while many oyster platters are functional, few are beautiful. This one from Crate & Barrel is, and its two tiers let you double the drama.

Dishy Towels  Kitchen towels are essential; why not make them beautiful, too? These super-absorbent but quick-drying Turkish cotton and linen towels from Tofino Towel actually make mopping up spills a pleasure.

Oysters  But maybe you don’t want to shuck your own oysters. We get it, and so do the folks at the Wandering Mollusk. They can provide pre-shucked oysters, on ice and with all the accoutrements, in sizes ranging from the Skipper’s Platter (30 oysters, $97.30) to the Captain’s Platter (100 oysters, $325).

Three To Try

Looking for bubbles to go with your bivalves? Choose something dry, high in acid and with a lively mousse to add a contrasting texture. We like the brioche notes of brut Champagnes, but will always reach for B.C. wines like these ones first.

1  Blue Grouse Charme de L’Île

One of the Cowichan Valley’s oldest wineries is among the most recent to produce the Island’s signature Prosecco-style fizz. Made from German-style grapes, it’s fresh and crisp, with flavours of citrus, green apple and white peach, and vibrant bubbles.

2  Hester Creek Old Vine Brut 2021

There is so much great sparkling made in the Okanagan these days, it’s hard to pick just one. But we love this traditional method brut made from 50-plus-year-old Pinot Blanc vines. It has lovely lemon zest, stone fruit and brioche notes, with good acidity and a fine, creamy mousse. 

3  Blue Mountain Brut Rosé 2020

This OK Falls winery was among the first in B.C. to produce sparkling wine and is still among the best. This gorgeous traditional method rosé (70 per cent Pinot Noir, 30 per cent Chardonnay), has delicate wild strawberry and zesty lemon flavours and fine, persistent bubbles.