Pairing Leaves Writer Red-Faced

Oysters and red wine? "Why not?" asks Eric Asimov in the New York Times. Wine pairing as a science can drain a meal of its pleasure, while instincts and taste-testing add adventure. After Parisian waiters twice recommended red with a foodie blogger's oysters, Asimov traded the usual suspects (muscadet, Chablis, Champagne) for a lineup of non-fruity reds.

And while no red could threaten muscadet's star partnership with the mollusk, plenty of light-textured reds make for merry sipping. When opting for the dark stuff, remember that wines with mineral, earth, or spice flavors best complement the oysters' saline, cucumber and mineral notes. Asimov trumpeted a 2006 Morgon from Marcel Lapierre and recommends light pinot noirs from Sancerre or Alsace. (More red wine stories.)