Best Bubbly & Oyster Pairings

Sparkling wine and oysters go waaay back together. Champagne has long been a staple ingredient in mignonette sauce, and every oyster bar worth its salt offers a selection of brut sparkling wines by the glass.

We're big oyster fans here at Domaine Chandon, thanks to our proximity to the Northern California Coast and the Pacific Northwest. Not coincidentally, many of our sparkling wines go beautifully with this gastronomical treat. Here are a few recommended pairings:

etoile Brut
With its tiny bubbles and elegant structure, etoile Brut brings out delicate food flavors that would be overpowered by a bolder wine. We highly recommend it as a companion for small Pacific oysters such as Olympias and Kumamotos. Both of these varieties are tender, sweet and subtle in flavor. They are perfect for an appetizer course.

Chandon Reserve Pinot Noir Brut
This aromatic, robust wine pairs well with large, flavorful oysters from the Pacific Northwest, including Pacifics, Dosewallips and Tottens. (Tottens are originally from the East Coast, but now are chiefly cultivated in Washington State.) These three varieties are the plumpest, sweetest and creamiest of the native American species.

Chandon Brut Classic
This versatile wine perhaps best exemplifies the house style of Chandon. Soft yet dry, it is an excellent match for East Coast oysters such as Bluepoints from Long Island, Wellfleets from Cape Cod and full-flavored Belons from Maine. Eastern oysters tend to be saltier than those from the West Coast. With its refreshingly dry finish, Brut Classic is a wonderful palate-cleanser in between slurps.

Reserve Chardonnay Brut
97% Chardonnay, 3% Pinot Noir, 100% delightful. This Chandon sparkling wine is created using fruit from our Mt Veeder Estate and aged for a minimum of three years, which gives it a rich and creamy texture. It pairs especially well with food. Reserve Chardonnay Brut is an outstanding choice if you want to begin a meal with oysters and keep serving the same wine all the way through to dessert.