Oysters at Wright Brothers in Soho

In my enviable task of trying different wines with oysters I found myself in Wright Brothers restaurant near to Carnaby Street in London.  They specialise in oysters and offer a range of native and rock varieties according to season and availability.  We tried two different types of rock oyster.  The Cumbrae oyster, from Scotland, was slightly creamy with a medium mineral finish.  The Speciales de Claires from France were sweeter which, I was informed, results from them spending some of their life in fresh water. In both cases, as a bit of a purist, I only added freshly squeezed lemon juice, so the shallots in red wine vinegar remained untouched. The chosen wine was a 2011 'single vineyard' Hilltop Pinot Grigio from Hungary.  This crisp fresh wine worked very well with the oysters. 

Wines which go well with Oysters

Oysters are often compared with wines when described using terms such as 'mineral finish' etc. Classic choices include crisp white Sauvignons and in particular Sancerre, Muscadet and dry Champagnes ( if you have the budget).
Now the oyster season has started in the UK we will be comparing a range of wines ( all under a tenner) to complement native and rock oysters.

We would be pleased to hear your views too so let us know your favourites and we will share them here.

Great seafood at The Orange in Pimlico

Just eaten a lovely meal at The Orange in London. Delicious Carlingford rock oysters to start which were creamy with a good mineral finish complemented with a glass of Provençal rose wine. It's lemon wedges only for me with oysters as I feel that the shallot vinegar option swamps the flavour.
Main was Hake fillet on cauliflower purée with broad beans, spaghetti and pancetta. Hake was cooked to perfection (not overcooked and slightly translucent). Great cuisine from head chef Nigel and good service from Jono thanks.


Hake fish comes from the same order (Gadiformes) as cod and haddock. The only Hake species that is considered not to be over-fished is Cape hake, which is found in Zone 47-Namibia, according to the Worldwide Fund.