Perfect match
Grilled oysters in the half-shell are an excellent alternative for those who love the taste but not the texture of the raw bivalves. As the oyster cooks, the meat poaches in its own juice.
Most seasonings work with oysters - the soy and ginger flavours most often eaten with steamed fish can be particularly good. The best wine to serve with this dish needs to respect the texture of the oysters. The soy and ginger flavours require wine that has some lift and savoury notes, either the mineral-like fragrance of cold-climate wines or varieties that are naturally savoury such as viognier.
The wine shouldn't be too 'fatty' in body or it will compete with the oyster texture and the crunch of the ginger.
Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2006, South Australia
This viognier is extremely versatile when it comes to food pairing - it can bend between western dishes and Asian flavours. It's extremely well made and delicious on its own. It has an abundance of flavours that are fresh, lively and rather spring-like with white flower blossoms and tones of rich stone fruits. It's perfect with oysters with ginger and soy - the ginger in the oyster exaggerates the similarly gingery note in the wine but gives it further lift. The soy and milky oyster nectar are supported by the wine's deep stone fruit flavours, taking it in a different direction. The lingering oyster sweetness is prolonged and heightened by the wine's sweet alcohol and fruity finish.
Available for HK$130 from Fine Vintage (tel: 2896 6108)
Louis Latour Chablis Premier Cru 2006, Burgundy, France
There are many wines in the Louis Latour stable. This premier cru is a little fuller in style but has all the freshness and zesty life expected of a good chablis. It's unoaked, of course, and compared to the Australian style is imminently racier and leaner. It's also less sweet. The pure fruit and especially the mineral notes of this chablis are perfectly linked with the fermented soy sauce and warm, deep ginger notes. The freshness of the oysters is further complemented by the chardonnay spectrums of stone fruit, citrus and some floral flavours. It's a complete and seamless combination. Add a few salmon eggs to the oyster for greater depth of sea richness.
Available for HK$289 from Maxxium (tel: 2845 5995)
La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Luberon Blanc 2006, Rhone Valley, France
This is made by one of the greatest wine-making families, the Perrins, of Beaucastel fame. It's a blend of just about every white grape found in the southern Rhone Valley, resulting in a drink that is immensely complex and interesting with many facets of flavours. The wine also has a strong focus on mineral and savoury notes that are naturally attracted to the ocean flavours of the oysters and the base notes of ginger and soy.
Available for HK$96 from Atlaya (tel: 2523 1945)
