Oysters! And Red Wine????

Now that it's pretty much accepted that white wine is good with cheese - about 5 years ago the sommelier at Le Grand Vefour told me that after a huge tasting, he and his team decided that white wine is better than red with cheese in 70% of the cases - we've got a new tradition on the line: oysters and cold, crisp white wine.

A couple of weeks ago, I had oysters three times (making it an outstanding week), and two of those times the servers proposed red wine! (The third time we were at a friend's house and the hosts spoiled us with Champagne and great white wine to go with our mountains of oysters.)

It all started at Les Fines Gueules, where Michael and I ordered a bottle of red wine and I asked for a glass of white wine to go with my sparklingly fresh bivalves.  The owner of the bistro (a place that's on my current favorites list) obliged, but, he said, "You know, you could have red with those - it can be very good."  And to prove his point, he brought the white and, along with it, a glass of a red from Saumur.  He was right - the red was interesting with the oysters; it played more to the oysters' sweetness than to their saltiness.  It didn't, however, win a place in that part of my heart where I keep great food and wine pairings.

One day later, the story repeated itself at Yves Camdeborde's wonderful Le Comptoir.  We ordered a half bottle of Morgon to go with our lunch and I ordered a glass of white wine to go with my starter, oysters served with, of all great things, duck rillettes.  "You know, you could stay with your red," said Eric, the very knowledgeable (and funny) server.

And so, again I stayed with the red and again it was interesting - but again it didn't win me over.  There's such great pleasure to be had from slurping a cool oyster in its clear, salty liquor, then sipping a cold, clean white wine with a racy, acidic edge.  In my book, the red wine/oyster combination just doesn't deliver even a fraction of that pleasure.

But that didn't stop me from telling Kerrin and Oivier (the granola guys) about my experiences when they stopped by for drinks.  They were headed to L'Ecallier du Bistrot Paul Bert, the seafood sister of one of my favorite bistros, where Olivier intended to start his meal with a mound of oysters.

The Bistrot Paul Bert has a stunning wine list (there are over 300 bottles, some hard to find elsewhere, all very reasonably marked-up) and a staff that knows its way around it, so when Olivier asked the server if she'd be shocked if he ordered red wine with his oysters, she replied "Not at all, I always drink red with Belons - it's so good."

She then proceeded to list about nine wines she thought would be right with oysters, among them a red Arbois, a Poulsard from the Jura, a pinot noir from Alsace and a Pineau d'Aunis, a light red from Saumur - just what I drank at Fines Gueules!

I once had an editor who said that if you hear about something once, it's just an idea, but hear about it twice, it might be a trend.  I wonder what it means when you hear about something three times ...

Comments

[Eric]

Dorie,

This is brilliant. I'm gonna get myself over to an oyster bar and try this out ASAP.

[Justin Marx]

Lucky you! I had oysters three times this week as well...and about to have some more this afternoon. Getting fired up for Valentines Day!!!

[Dorie]

Casey - I'm with you completely: no matter what it is, if it's in Paris, it's just fine.

Christianne - it's funny that that line still goes around, but take a look at Laura's wise comment (just below)

Renee - I've never seen oysters served with hot sauce and saltines in Paris. Instead of saltines, there's bread - often a dark bread like a rye and often there's butter; and instead of hot sauce, there's mignonette - a vinegar, shallot and peppercorn sauce, which can bring tears to your eyes, just like hot sauce. And there's always a wedge of lemon.

Personally, I like my oysters naked - although sometimes I'll dress them with a squirt of lemon juice. If the oysters are really, really good, I don't want anything coming between me and that great flavor. As for beer -- why not?

Laura, thanks so much for your trend comment. As for reservations in Paris, sadly they're a must now, especially at the really good bistros, since they're the hottest places in town these days. The two Paul Berts are very different from one another - L'Ecailler is just seafood and Le Bistrot Paul Bert is everything. I'd suggest you try for a res at the Bistrot.

I know that you want to have Paris unfold before you, to stumble on a place that will become your best memory of your trip or to find a "secret" place that can become yours - and my bet is that you'll have all these experiences - but if there are places you really want to go to, it's really best to reserve.

I hope you'll report back on your adventures. And, of course, I hope you have a fabulous trip.

[laura]

Hi, Dorie, a quick Paris question for you re: Bistrot Paul Bert. We are headed to France in April and I having not been there as a real, true grown up, I've been researching out the whazoo...I've read/heard that reservations are critical at most Paris restaurants, but Bistrot Paul Bert I wasn't so sure about...since it is more of a bistro (I think), would a reservation be necessary? Despite all the planning, we want to be flexible and let Paris unfold before us, but I also want to make sure that we have a meal there. And, do you favor one of the Paul Berts over the other?

Re: trends...I am a journalist and spend about 2/3 of my time covering food and restaurants for a daily newspaper. Respectfully, I would say that two times comes up a little short. But it means to keep your eyes peeled for a third, and then, yes, that's something I'd call a trend.

[Renee]

Dorie, what do they serve with oysters in Paris? We eat them here (florida gulf coast) with horseradish and hot sauce on saltines!... but I'm sure it's more elegant in Paris! And we also drink beer... haha!... I think I'll take your cue and try a white next time!

[Christianne]

Fascinating. I just completed a food writing course at UCLA a few weeks ago, and the instructor said the very same thing as your editor!!

[Casey]

red/white/bubbly--I wouldn't care if I could just be dining in Paris. Thanks for taking us there vicariously