Chelsea Gem
South Puget Sound · Pacific Coast, USA · Crassostrea gigas
Brine arrives first, with sweetness close enough behind it that the two feel simultaneous.
Texturecreamy
Finishsweet
Shellmedium, deep-cupped
The creaminess can take a small amount of acid. More than a few drops and you're covering the mid-palate richness that distinguishes Chelsea Gem from a generic
Pair with
Blanc de Blancs Champagne or Crémant de BourgogneOregon Pinot Gris (dry)Washington State Chardonnay (lightly oaked or unoaked)
Details
Cultivationbottom-culturedAppearancemedium · deep-cupped
If you like this, try
Hog IslandTomales BayThe California upwelling-fed Pacific opens with sweetness leading the salt — the brine registers after the sweetness is already there, which is the signature.Hog Island SweetwaterTomales Bay freshwater seep growing positionNoticeably sweeter and softer-brined than the standard Hog Island Pacific — the difference is apparent in the liquor before the meat is reached.