Twice a year, the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail hosts an oyster crawl. The Spring Oyster Crawl takes places in April; the Fall Oyster Crawl happens this month, usually the first weekend in November.
Why Oyster Crawls? Because…
Virginia is the Oyster Capital of the East Coast
Virginia leads East Coast oyster production, selling over 40 million of the bivalve mollusks annually.
The Terroir of the Grapes Meets the Merroir of the Oysters
What grows together, goes together. Trail wineries are located in the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA (American Viticultural Area), one of only three places in the world where wine grapes grow on the land next to the waters where oysters are dredged. The sandy, rocky soil composition is similar to that of Bordeaux. The city has the Gironde estuary and Dordogne and Garonne Rivers. The Northern Neck has the Chesapeake Bay and Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers and Kiki Apple, owner of Monroe Bay Winery, who learned the art of winemaking while living in France.
Wine & Raw Oysters are Perfect Pairings
Oysters can be paired with a variety of wines, though heavy, tannic reds could overpower the oysters.
Albariño is an excellent choice for pairing with oysters, also due to its high acidity and citrus and saline notes, which complement the salinity and brine of oysters. Two Trail wineries offer Albariño: Jacey Vineyards and Ingleside Vineyards.
Champagne bubbles elevate the oyster experience, in addition to cleaning the palate between slurps. Crisp acidity, saltiness, and unami and mineral flavors all come to together to enhance one other and create a deeply satisfying taste. At The Dog and Oyster, you can get a raw oyster placed atop a flute of champagne.
Wine & Cooked Oysters are Perfect Pairings
A cooked oyster dished is richer and heavier than raw oysters, making fuller-bodied wines, like Chardonel, suitable for pairing. Yeocomico White from Trail winery Rivah Vineyards at the Grove is a blend of Vidal Blanc, Viognier, Symphony, Chardonel and Petit Manseng, balancing well with oysters from the headwaters of the Rappahannock River.
Cider & Oysters are Perfect Pairings
The qualities that make a wine good for pairing with oysters can also be found in ciders: crisp, tart, dry or semi-dry, acidic, effervescent. The only cidery on the Trail, Ditchley Cider Works produces a variety of hard ciders, including Blush, utilizing wine yeast to start the fermentation process.
So Many Different Ways to Eat Oysters
The Trail’s Oyster Crawls feature traditional raw oysters, as well as a variety of unique oyster dishes. Here’s a sampling of what you may find from participants during this month’s Fall Oyster Crawl:
Ditchley Cider Works: Fried Oysters with Vidalia Onion, Hush Puppies and Oyster Stew in addition to the cidery’s regular Sunday Brunch.
The Dog and Oyster: raw, roasted, and fried oysters, Puttin’ on the Ritz oysters, Bloody Mary Oyster Shooter, Champagne and Oyster
Good Luck Cellars: fresh, local oysters from regional favorite Salty Bob’s Oyster & Seafood Co.
Ingleside Winery: raw, fried and grilled oysters prepared on-site by renowned Denson’s Chesapeake Bay Farm to Table.
Jacey Vineyards: variety of styles, including, Raw, Roasted “à la Jacey” and Oyster Shooters.
Rivah Vineyards at the Grove: TBD
Oyster Education
Good Luck Cellars hosts The Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association, which teaches oyster aquaculture methods, the benefits of growing oysters and, most importantly, awareness of the importance of helping to improve the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay.
Oyster War History
During the 19th Century, oysters were as hot a commodity as gold and crucial to the Northern Neck’s economy. Competition for oysters between watermen in Maryland and Virginia led to the Potomac River Oyster Wars, a conflict that lasted nearly a hundred years, culminating in the death of a local farmer.
8 Distinct Oyster Regions
Oysters come in a variety of flavors and textures, meaning they can be paired with a variety of wines. Here in Virginia, there are 8 distinct oyster regions along the Chesapeake Bay, each producing uniquely flavored oysters:
1) Seaside: Initial bold saltiness mellowing into a taste of sweet butter/cream at the finish
2) Upper Bay Eastern Shore: Classic Virginia Bay oyster flavor with balanced salt and sweet, with a savory finish
3) Lower Bay Eastern Shore: Salty and creamy with mellow sweetness with a quick finish
4) Upper Bay Western Shore: Sweetwater oyster with a light cream taste
5) Middle Bay Western Shore: Lightly salty with easily distinguished cream or butter and a pleasant slight minerality
6) Lower Bay Western Shore: Mild saltiness moving to a sweet finish
7) Tidewater: Salty oyster with sweetness and a smooth finish
8) Tangier/Middle Chesapeake Bay: Traditional Virginia Bay Oyster flavor with a balance of salt and sweet, and a savory butter/cream finish
For more information about Virginia Oysters and Oyster Crawls on the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail, visit our blog post Sip (wine) & Slurp (oysters) on the Trail.
Share This Post!