28 Degrees: Oysters and white Bordeaux

November 26, 5:56 PMBoston Wine ExaminerJulia Timakhovich

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Front entrance at 1 Appleton St, Boston

Thanksgiving eve is upon us. The turkeys are getting stuffed, the offices are closing early, and those of you traveling are gearing up for the drive.

Boston is quiet. What better time to go out for some oysters and eat light today, guilt-free before the super-meal tomorrow?

28 Degrees in South End is still offering $1 oysters from 5 to 7pm. AND today is Wednesday, which means you get 1,000 points from an OpenTable reservation—an instant $10 credit. Enough of these, and you will end up with a decent check to subsidize your dining adventures, especially if you are traveling for the holidays. The food budgets always end up short of actual expenses.

28 Degrees is famous for its delicious, exotic cocktails like Frozen Bellini or Blueberry Basil Martini. After all, this is a trendy place, sort of like the South End version of the late Armani Café on Newbury. A place to see and be seen (at least in the South End community).

But it also has a respectable wine list and offers wine by the “carafe”, a vessel of 500 ml, which is almost always worth it to order if there are two people who don’t want a bottle and yet want more than one glass each. Or if there is a group and you want to share.

It’s almost a crime not to drink wine with oysters. Those slimy, sea-smelling, creamy morsels just beg for a crisp acidic white, or Champagne, or at the very least beer. The restaurant mark-up at 28 Degrees gives no signs recession, though, so don’t order blindly.

White Bordeaux, for example, is frequently overlooked as the white of choice, and therefore screams good values. White Bordeaux is a mix of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grape varieties, which just happen to beautifully complement oysters. The acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc, tempered by the sweeter Semillon, will whet all those ocean-feeling sensations and pleasant after-taste after swallowing an oyster.

I am eyeing Chateau Ducasse 2006, from Barsac, one of the many satellite villages around the town of Sauternes. They are listing it for $9/glass and $20/carafe. This baby is made mostly from Semillon grapes. I had the pleasure of tasting earlier vintages of I, and I find it extremely food-friendly and pleasant.

If you are having seafood of any sort, especially shellfish, on your Thanksgiving table, consider a dry white Bordeaux.

Just don’t forget to buy it today. All liquor stores are closed tomorrow.

Cheers!