Cellar Notes

Oyster Wines

By Al Spoler,

Published February 17, 2025 at 4:46 PM EST

Oyster lovers in Maryland are rejoicing that the season is now upon us. Al offers some suggestions for pairing bottles and bivalves.

Price key: $=less than $20 $$= $20-40 $$$=$40-60 $$$$=above $60
Quality key: * = decent wine ** = very good wine *** = superb wine ****= elite
VALUE = exceptional quality for the money

Idlewine “White Wine: Flora and Fauna” North Coast ’23 ** $$
(An intriguing blend of Italian white varieties, well balanced for oysters)

Alain Geoffroy Petit Chablis ’23 **1/2 $$ VALUE
(A lightly fruity style of Chablis, great acidity and tartness)

WINE OF THE WEEK:
Phillipe Guerin “Abstraction #1” Muscadet de Sevres et Maine ’22
(Much more fruit than old-school Muscadet, style has a dry tart backbone)

All of these wines can be purchased at Wells Discount Liquors

Cellar Notes

Al Spoler

Al Spoler, well known to WYPR listeners as the wine-loving co-host of "Cellar Notes" has had a long-standing parallel interest in cooking as well. Al has said, the moment he started getting serious about Sunday night dinners was the same moment he started getting serious about wine. Over the years, he has benefited greatly from being a member of the Cork and Fork Society of Baltimore, a gentlemen's dining club that serves black tie meals cooked by the members themselves who are some of Baltimore's most accomplished amateur cooks.

See stories by Al Spoler

Hugh Sisson

As General Partner of Clipper City Brewing Company, L.P., Hugh J. Sisson is among Baltimore's premier authorities on craft brewing and a former manager of the state's first pub brewery, Sissons, located in Federal Hill. A fifth generation Baltimorean, Hugh has been involved in all aspects of craft brewing.

See stories by Hugh Sisson