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The weather here in the UK is hot hot hot! That coupled with National Oyster Day on Friday 5th August can mean only one thing… Chilled oysters, and a cool glass of Miraval Rosé.

SEAFEAST – The Dorset Seafood Festival is excited to offer an Oyster and Miraval Rosé wine bar at this year’s Festival – 10th & 11th September. The pop-up Miraval Beach bar will be the place to be, gorgeous wines served with delicious local oysters!

Rosé and oysters are the perfect summer pairing, the wine perfectly balancing the saltiness of the oyster. The Miraval estate is situated just 80km from the coast, in Haut-Provence, the grapes are harvested at night for optimum freshness and purity.

It is these essential qualities that make Miraval Rosé such a great match for a half or a dozen (or more) freshly shucked Oysters. The subtle acidity acts like a squeeze of lemon or pink grapefruit. The mid palate (enhanced by gentle lees contact) complements the briny-sweet spectrum of the oysters and the minerality of Miraval Rosé leaves a saline moreish edge on the palate – Parfait …et encore !

Love them or loathe them, oysters are full of vitamin D, they are low calorie and high in micronutrients and B12. Here are some Top Tips on buying, preparing and eating oysters.

Buy your oysters near the coast – they are always going to be the best.
Ensure the oysters are tightly closed when you buy them and that they smell of the sea, not of fish.
To open them, you really need an oyster knife (shucking knife) – these are widely available in stores and online.
Open them by folding a tea towel in half and place on a kitchen worktop. Place the oyster on the towel, holding firmly. Push the knife into the hinge of the oyster and push in about 2cms, then twist the knife. The shell should lift. If the oyster doesn’t crack open, push the knife a bit deeper and twist it, lifting the top shell slightly.

Once opened, cut the muscles by pushing the knife into the hinge, keep the point of the knife against the top shell. Around two thirds of the way up and to the right slightly, you should find the top muscle. Scrape the knife to the right to cut the muscle. For the bottom muscle, scoop the knife underneath the oyster and scrape the knife against the shell to cut this muscle.

Serve with a simple squeeze of fresh lemon and a splash of Tabasco

If you don’t fancy a raw oyster, try Oysters Italian Style – by Nigel Bloxham of the Crab House Café

Ingredients

6 Portland Pearls Oysters (or whichever variety you prefer)

3 heaped tsps. pesto (green or red)

3 heaped tsps. finely grated parmesan cheese

Salad to garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 200℃
Place the opened oysters on an oven-proof tray, keeping them as upright as possible to avoid losing their liquid. Add half a teaspoon of pesto onto each oyster
Lightly sprinkle the parmesan over all the oysters, trying to keep the amount even
Place in the oven until the cheese is golden brown (approx. 5-6 minutes)
To serve, place on a suitable dish and garnish with salad. Serve with rocket and vine tomato salad
Recipe from Nigel Bloxham’s Crab House Café book

If prepping those oysters still seems like a lot of trouble, head to SEAFEAST Dorset Seafood Festival – September 10th & 11th at Weymouth Peninsula to sample these delicious oysters and Miraval rosé wine – without the hassle! Tickets are available here.

Miraval 2021 reveals a seductive and pure petal pink colour. Full of freshness, it offers elegant aromas of fresh and delicious fruits like redcurrant, supported by slightly lemony, mineral and saline notes. Its long and intense finish is the signature of a rosé with an incomparable elegance.