Taken by Nathan Fedornak (3-10)

St. Pierre Tarbouriech sits in the heart of the Mediterranean oyster producing region. This region in France is famous for the Bouzigue oyster, which I find to be quite salty; to a non oyster enjoyer, they might taste like the time you accidentally swallowed salt water at the beach. However, the draw to this oyster farm and tasting room is the trademarked Tarbouriech oyster. Even if you’re not a fan of oysters, the addition of fresh lemon and cracked pepper compliment the Tarbouriech oyster nicely. The tasting room also offers wine pairings from local vineyards; the citrus notes in sparkling wine we were given paired well with the Tarbouriech oysters.

Taken by Nathan Fedornak (3-10)

The St. Pierre Tarbouriech oyster producers created a revolutionary technique to use a solar powered system to raise and lower the Tarbouriech oyster tables into the water. This process simulates the churning tides and gives the producers complete control of the oyster growth. While this does extend the production time, it produces more complex flavors and larger oysters favored by chefs throughout France and Europe. 

We experienced a wine tasting with the exceptional Hôtel Pinard. The wine bar specializes in natural wines, which are produced with either no or low sulfates (what gives headaches when you drink wine). There is a crisis of marketing and labeling surrounding natural wines; many miseducation consumers see the “Natural Wine” on a label and assume that the product will be a high quality. However, in truth it appears that many vineyards that claim to produce natural wines are actually putting a poor quality product into the market, thus lowering the consumer preference for the quality wines.

We tried six different wines: one sparkling white, two still whites, two reds, and one fortified red wine. From what I’ve gathered, the fan favorite wine was the “Domaine Peter Sichel – Montanha 2024”; for a red wine, it was very fresh with strong notes of juicy red fruit. I appreciate Hôtel Pinard’s goal to promote quality wines that the average consumer has not been exposed to. Their belief that ‘good wine is good wine’ is refreshing for an industry dominated by, and in my opinion held back by tradition. Our Sommelier described the importance of caring about local wines in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, as they are some of the true innovators in the wine industry. Despite the fact that Languedoc is the oldest wine region in France, its history has been characterized by cheap bulk wines. At the present, producers in Languedoc are on the forefront of the wine industry response to climate change as they research and implement new hybrid grapes and irrigation techniques.

Taken by Nathan Fedornak (3-11)

Attending tasting events with the field’s experts, whether that be the oyster producers or sommeliers, is a great way to grow your appreciation for new foods. Even if you have never tried raw oysters or drank much wine, learning from the experts is the best way to learn about the significance of regional foods.