Oysters Chez Brooklynguy

Have you ever tried to open an oyster? Not a simple task, my friend. This I learned the other night when my pal Adam came over for dinner and brought a dozen Malpeques in tow.

The problem is, there is no clear lip along the side of the animal's shell, no place to put the blade of a knife. Instead, you use the tip of the knife to pry into the point on the shell where the top meets
the bottom. Once you get the knife tip in there, it no more force is necessary. You rotate your wrist, jiggling the knife from side to side, and the shell opens.

If you can do this cleanly, then I bet you've done it many times already. By cleanly, I mean preserving the oyster's liquor (the flavorful seawater/oyster juice liquid inside of the shell), even after using the knife to separate the oyster from the inside of the shell. I mean without gouging your own hands with either the knife or the shell.

As you might have guessed, Adam and I experienced only measured success in this department. But succeed we did, and by oyster number four I was getting into a rhythm. The half-inch gash on the knuckle of my right index finger is not infected and healing properly, and I can promise you this: as soon as the fish boat comes back to my farmer's market, and as soon as they sell oysters, I will host some sort of mini-festival featuring oysters and various wines. And the fish boat carries Peconic bay oysters, which are half the size of a Malpeque, and hopefully easier to deal with.

So...what did we drink with our oysters? Well, it was a special occasion. Not a birthday or anything like that, but special because it's a pleasure to hang out with a good friend in the kitchen, sipping good wine and cooking together. You already know what type of wine I reached for, I bet.

I wanted a Blanc de Blancs Champagne, something fresh and vibrant enough to work well with the fresh briny-ness of the oysters. And delicate too, nothing overpowering. I decided to try the NV Guy Charlemagne Blanc de Blancs Reserve Brut, $32, imported by Willette Wines. This one came highly recommended - I remember reading that Craig at Wine Camp enjoyed this one, and Charlemagne is on Alice Feiring's list too.

We both really enjoyed this wine, and it paired beautifully with the sweet and briny oysters. It took a lot of air time to really show itself, but when it did it was very lovely. Chalky minerals and a bit of yeasty bread, some citrus too on the nose. The palate was biscuits and minerals, and very sharply cut. Quite powerful, focused, not an obvious fruit-driven wine. I can't say that this is one of my favorite Blanc de Blancs, but it was definitely very good.