Perfect wines for shell game

Dry Creek Vineyard tops "bliss" list

By Darryl Beeson

For the 6th year in a row (in fact eight out of thirteen competitions), Dry Creek Vineyard’s Dry Chenin Blanc, this vintage being the 2006 vintage, once again connected with  37 oyster-loving food and wine writers, restaurateurs, oyster growers, and proven oyster fans at the 2007 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition. In addition, the winery’s 2005 Fumé Blanc was also selected as a Top 10 wine, making an appearance for the first time in this illustrious group of wines.

"We’re thrilled to have two wines make the Top 10 this year...being recognized as an oyster award winner," says winery proprietor Kim Stare Wallace. "I couldn’t be happier."

"The process to find the right match is a rigorous one," explains spokesperson Bill Smart. "First, 185 wines are tasted in a preliminary judging to narrow the contenders to 35 semifinalists and then 20 finalists. Panels of 12 to 13 judges in three cities – Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, then taste the 20 finalists. Each wine is tasted blind with a Kumamoto oyster and judges are asked to rate the bliss factor, the wine’s affinity for the oyster. In the end, 10 equal winners are selected."

Since 1972, Dry Creek Vineyard has produced Fumé Blanc as part of founder David Stare’s vision to bring "a little bit of the Loire Valley" to the Dry Creek Valley. As the first producer to plant Sauvignon Blanc vines in the Dry Creek Valley, Dave was instrumental in establishing the Dry Creek Valley as a recognized AVA in 1983. Over the years, grapes for the winery’s Chenin Blanc have come from many different locations around California. However, in 1992, the family finally found a permanent source for its Chenin Blanc – the Clarksburg region of the Sacramento Delta. With fertile soils and the proper heating and cooling cycles, Clarksburg is quickly becoming a recognized and well respected winegrowing region.

There are other crisp, complex white wines that this reviewer suggests for pairing with the bivalve of bliss. Joshua Wesson, CEO of Best Cellars, Inc., recently commented on the savy consumer trend of drinking wines which are "naked, without any clothes or heavy-handed adornment of oak or residual sugar.”  He said, “The glory of Spain's Albariño whites...they fall into this category, being delightfully refreshing and a pure expression of the Albariño grape.”  He also characterized the wines as somewhat chameleon-like, referring to the diversity of styles produced by Albariño, and as having a slight umami or savory, ‘yummy’ characteristic.

A fine example is Vionta Rias Baixas, 2005 ($18). Produced entirely from the Albariño grape, grown on their estate in the cool Galician region of Rias Baixas, this dry white wine is straw-colored with greenish tones. Aromas are clean and intensive, with intense nectarine. The Vionta is an ideal white wine with shellfish or served simply as an aperitif.

Bliss this. Rosemount from South Eastern Australia consistently produces wines crafted perfectly for food. With oysters, consider the Rosemount Riesling (2006, $9.99) with bracing lime and lean, clean flavors. Likewise, try the Rosemount Traminer Riesling (2006, $9.99) for a spicy edge to the same Riesling equation.

Riesling is Germany's traditional wine grape, and is known in its homeland as 'The King of White Wine Grapes'. It produces the most fruity und flavourful of all white varietals. Recognizing this, St. Urbans-Hof Estate grows and vinifies its wines exclusively from this noble grape, dedicated to producing complex whites that capture the individual terroir of the estate's vineyard sites. Nik Weis and his vineyard manager Hermann Jostock adhere to the belief that "the hightest quality wines are a result of hard work over the entire year. Intensive soil cultivation, precise shoot positioning, leaf thinning, crop reduction, selective hand-picking and late harvesting are all fundamental steps which must be taken in order to ensure that the wine reflects the character of the land on which it is grown."

St. Urbans-Hof Estate produces a range of rich Rieslings priced from maybe $10-$12 to the $20's. For your freshly procured oysters, splurge a little and then enjoy.

Another approach to the shell game of oyster wine pairing is a Tuscan white, Tenimenti Angelini "tuttobene toscana bianca" (2005, $12.99). There are aromas of apple and tropcial fruits. This wine is medium-bodied, yet balanced with understated acidity and a clean finish. For those that calculate such, the mix is 50% Trebbiano, 40% Chardonnay, 10% Vermentino.

Now if money is not a concern, this may be the most perfect oyster to wine match. Dom Ruinart Champagne 1996 ($170), boasting 100% Chardonnay, growing on the best of the region's chalky soil. 1996 was a very acidic vintage. "Freshness is the key with all of our wines," explains cellar master Jean-Phillippe Moulin, "there are mineral aromas of cold ashes, citrus like grapefruit, delicate lychee, fresh butter aromas when the wine rises a bit in temperature." Champagne bubbles are like precise pearls, and vice versa.

In conclusion, there is only one question remaining. Is it true that oysters are an aphrodisiac? The critic does not believe the myth. I consumed a dozen oysters once, but only seven worked.

----

Darryl Beeson teaches wine concepts in "a no secret handshakes way" for the International Sommelier Guild at www.internationalsommelier.com.  He is American editor for www.wineontheweb.com.