Mention the Osoyoos Oyster Festival and chances are you might get a raised eyebrow.
But even if the notion of West Coast oysters on the desert shores of Osoyoos might at first sound incongruous this little shuckfest-that-could has blossomed into a pretty serious event, with beer and now even whisky in the mix.
One highlight, the Art of the Oyster Pearl Gala (at Watermark Beach Resort), features South Okanagan wineries and restaurants with a range of inventive oyster pairings.
Another is the bullishly named Canadian Oyster Wine Competition, which I was lucky enough to again help judge this year. It picks the best wines with which to pair with oysters from a range of white varieties and, curiously, this year, one red meritage. (Um, it didn’t win.) Even more surprising, especially considering last year’s winner was a well-made sparkler from Noble Ridge, not one sparkling wine was entered.
Every wine submitted is tasted with an oyster or at least half an oyster. That part of the judging is crucial. In this case, the oyster chosen to match was the delicious Black Pearl from Quadra Island’s Out Landish Shellfish.
I wasn’t counting but my guess is that each of the five judges went through two or three dozen apiece.
In short, the small, slightly sweet, quite rounded (from being “tumbled”) and deliciously fleshy Black Pearl is one of the most consistent I’ve ever tasted, key for contests like this. It also sports an appealing, not overt briny quality that makes it fun to match with some of B.C.’s leaner, less fruit-forward, more acid-driven whites.
All the oysters tasted were unadorned, freshly shucked, with no mignonette, lemon, horseradish or other garnish.
What to look for? First of all, as always, the wine shouldn’t overpower the oyster but rather complement it. Secondly, there should be something in the wine that definitely picks up on some of the oyster’s flavours, perhaps some mineral or stony notes.
Finally, a clean, fresh mouth-feel to finish, with flavours of both wine and oysters lingering on the palate. Overall, in matters of wine-and-oyster matching, less is more.
When all was done (it’s very tough to spit oysters, though some people do) we had a clutch of clear winners, any one of which would do justice to your next dozen on the half shell.
Best of Show: Niche Small Batch White 2013
This is a blend of Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay. It makes sense that this wine (from West Kelowna) popped out, for its nicely balanced fruit-and-acid profile, plus a touch of citrus ($18).
Chardonnay: Monster Vineyards, 2014 Skinny Dip Chardonnay
Crisp and clean, un-oaked, all stainless steel fermented with apple and citrus wrapped in fresh acidity ($17.90).
Riesling: Monster Vineyards, 2014 Riesling
Some pleasing orchard and stonefruit notes with good texture, juicy acidity and a lingering mineral close ($17.90).
Sauvignon Blanc: Bench 1775, 2014 Sauvignon Blanc (Naramata)
Varietally correct, zippy Sauvignon Blanc that sports some nice gooseberry and green apple with tropical hints. An excellent “classic” oyster match ($25.30).
Pinot Gris: Hester Creek, 2014 Pinot Gris (Golden Mile Bench)
Definite citrus and mineral notes with juicy acidity and some stony notes (17.95).
Pinot Blanc: Skaha Vineyard 2014 Pinot Blanc (Krazy Legz, Kaleden)
Grown on a stony slope high above the west side of Skaha Lake; apple and pear notes with citrus and definite mineral to close. Another very well balanced, perfect match ($18.95).
I hope this competition continues to grow, and in time attract more wines, even, truly, from across Canada.
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
