Selection of three different types of oyster
Pierre Pichot opening an oyster
On Wednesday after tasting some 2009s at the nearby La Maison des Vins de Tours (25 Rue du Grand Marché) we headed into Les Halles to have a quick lunchtime snack of oysters at Le Comptoir Saint Kerber run by Pierre Pichot, who used to work for InterLoire and is now fully involved in the family oyster business.
Cancale
We shared 12 oysters – three different kinds: Cancale, Belon and Tsarskaya. We tried several wines to see how they matched. The three types of oyster were very different. Pierre told us to start with the Cancale – tasting very much of the sea and iodé (iodine). The lemony 2009 Clos de la Clarelière Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine from Domaine Luneau-Papin was a good match here.
Tsarskaya is one of Saint Kerber's special oysters. It is rounder, fatter and quite citric in the finish – a lovely oyster which went very well with the soft and creamy 2009 La Raie, Reuilly from Claude Lafond, which has a nice citric touch at the end.
Tsarskaya
Tsarskaya is one of Saint Kerber's special oysters. It is rounder, fatter and quite citric in the finish – a lovely oyster which went very well with the soft and creamy 2009 La Raie, Reuilly from Claude Lafond, which has a nice citric touch at the end.
Belon (flat oyster similar to a Colchester native)
The Belon was quite salty and citric with an attractive soft, creamy aftertaste. Again the Lafond Reuilly was the best match here.
We also tried the ripe and mineral 2009 Les Romains, Sancerre from Domaine Fouassier with good length, power and complexity. Attractive wine but not the best match with the oysters.
2009 La Raie, Reuilly, Claude Lafond
Le Comptoir Saint Kerber
Halles Centrales
37000 Tours
Tel: 02.47.38.38.78
