Wine of the Sea

“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

Cold white wine and oysters might be the most simple but best combination on earth, and the pairing makes for the perfect seaside meal. I was recently invited to Row 34 to attend a Martín Códax Albariño wine dinner. I learned that the wine is called wine of the sea, and being basically obsessed with the sea and wine, I knew this was a wine dinner I couldn’t miss.

My husband and I were greeted warmly at Row 34 with glasses of the 2012 Albariño, and right off the bat, I could see why they call it wine of the sea. This bright, summery wine is crisp and dry with notes of apple and citrus, along with nice minerality and salinity that makes you feel like you’re sipping it at the beach. The acidity is not off the charts, but it is definitely there and it makes the mouth water. Acidity and balance make this Albariño a great food wine.

We started off by pairing it with some oysters, and we were happy to see how delicious citrus and mineral notes paired with briny oysters.

Once we sat down, we were treated to a summery feast with flowing Albariño. On the menu was an unpictured Striped Bass Crudo with Herb Salad and Crispy Shallots. Once again, the wine went wonderfully with the fresh, sweet fish, and the caramelization on the shallots was a sweet, buttery touch.

Next up, we had Brown Butter Lobster with Corn, Tomato, and Basil. Can you go wrong with lobster and brown butter? The Martín Códax Albariño may pair even better with lobster than it does with oysters. The acid in the wine balanced the buttery lobster beautifully.

To finish off the meal, we were served a fruity and light dessert, Lemon Pound Cake with Fresh Local Berries. It was sweet, easy, and fresh, just like Summer. The lemony notes in the wine played nicely with the lemon cake, proving that this wine can indeed pair with an entire meal.

While we said our goodbyes, we were each sent off with a bottle of this delicious wine of the sea, tucked neatly into the most adorable wine bags made out of recycled sails. I thought this was a genius idea; I can’t wait to reuse the bag!

All in all, the Martín Códax Albariño dinner was a fantastic way to spend a summer night, and the wine is the perfect expression of the season. It’s a great boat wine.

This dinner was complimentary. All opinions are my own.