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Clams on the Half Shell Day!
Hello wine fans,
March 31st is National Clams on the Half Shell Day. In preparation for, and in honor of it, I thought I would offer some of my top picks to celebrate the day in style and bliss.
As with almost anything seafood, my go-to is most often Champagne. If it is not broken, I try not to fix it. Many classic pairings will work well with seafood, and clams on the half shell specifically. I will address a few of those as well further down in the newsletter.
While many styles of champagne will pair well with clams on the half shell, the leaner, cleaner, and more focused styles are sure bets. These Champagnes allow the chalky, mineral, crushed seashell aspects of Champagne to shine through and play ever so tantalizingly with the briny sea-like character so enjoyable in clams on the half shell. Almost any champagne can play well with clams and other seafood. To the surprise of many, even rose styles of Champagne can work depending on their perceived weight on the palate (lighter styles will generally work better). The exact type and preparation of shellfish; experimenting with the mignonette, for instance, is a good way to expand room for pairings with rose Champagnes. There are two links below, one for my Clams on the Half Shell Day picks and one for All Champagnes. Continue past the links to find further details and explanations about the other great wines that play well with clams on the half shell.
Chardonnay and the Wonders of Seafood.
The next major area to touch on is chardonnay. Contrary to what many have long believed, chardonnay does come in many different styles, regions, and weights. While most Chardonnay can find a way to get along with its seafood companions, Chablis rules supreme when clams and oysters are on the menu.
Chablis is the northernmost region of Burgundy, so far north that it is only about a half-hour away from the southern edge of Champagne by car. Chablis too is marked for greatness by its chalky Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soils. Like Champagne, its latitude lends itself to a cooler climate and, therefore, better preservation of acidity. This helps maintain the right amount of tension in the wines.
Chardonnay is a favorite white wine around the world, but it is in Chablis where its minerality truly shines. The chalky soils and earthy scents present there seem to leap right out of the glass! These soils are remarkable—they hold just the right amount of moisture, allowing roots to dive deep and nutrients to be extracted. It is these soils that indirectly (or directly, some argue) contribute to that unmistakable mineral taste in the wines of Chablis. If you are curious about wine’s connection to terroir, Chablis is a great wine, and wine region to visit. A shining example of terroir and its effect on the wines we love. This shimmering golden purity of Chardonnay from Chablis is further aided by the wine-making affinities of the region. Many wines are made using stainless steel only in, eschewing oak. In many more cases, oak may be used, but the oak is “neutral” or used barrels that are not contributing any of their oak to the wines as it is long gone. Once neutral, the barrel no longer imparts oak flavors but allows for micro-oxygenation of the wine throughout elevage, leading to wines that are “rounded,” elegant, and supple, taking off just the right amount of the sharp nervy edge and leaving somewhat silkier textures without touching them with the heavy stamp of oak.
I have selected several Chardonnays for Clams on the half shell day, many of them Chablis. In addition to the Chablis, you will find a slightly heavier rendition of Chardonnay from Saint-Aubin, and a stunning yet again heavier style from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA in the Willamette Valley. I also manage to sneak in a Chardonnay Pinot Gris blend in the form of a, some say THE, white Super Tuscan in the form of Querciabella’s Batar Bianco; a wine you should be enjoying more often, clams on the half shell or not.
Classic Pairing Three
It would not be possible or prudent to talk about wine pairings with clams on the half shell without mentioning Sauvignon Blanc.
It is, in fact, the go-to pairing for many when talking about clams and oysters. Sauvignon Blanc hails from many regions, with its spiritual home rooted in (surprise!) Bordeaux and its feet planted firmly in the Loire Valley of France. It is well known in other regions of France, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Oregon, California, and Washington, to name a few.
Many would list it as the go-to pairing for shellfish, and for good reason. Like other wines listed previously, it tends to have high acidity (in cooler regions especially), great minerality, crisp, light, and refreshing; allowing it to complement the complex and delicate flavors inherent in shellfish without being overbearing. In the Clams on the Half Shell pop-up collection reached by way of the links scattered throughout this newsletter, you will find two of my favorites from Sancerre as well as one of the most legendary Sauvignon Blancs ever, from Pouilly-Fume.
The Rest of Everything
There are many other great pairings for clams on the half shell. My suggestions listed here are not exhaustive by any means.
I hope you have enjoyed reading my newsletter, but in the interest of you getting at least one other thing done today, I have to draw the line somewhere. I did want to include a hidden gem that is not to be missed. Roc Des Anges Llum Cotes Catalanes. Llum is Catalan for ‘The Light’, and when used for this wine, it can be applied in more than one way. It is a blend of Macabeu, Grenache Gris, and Grenache Blanc, including many old vines.
Notes of: pear, lemon, grapefruit, anise, toasted almonds, jasmine, mineral notes, beeswax, honeydew, chamomile tea, and an onshore breeze. Perfectly balanced and tense. A dream pairing.
Of course, there are many others to explore, including many other French, and Spanish whites, including the Basque region wines, Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc, and the whites of Bordeaux (sadly out of stock currently).
To your Happiness and Health,
Robert Hayes
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