Chesapeake
Rappahannock River
The Rapp is unique. It represents a once-preeminent style of oyster, and should be tasted for that reason alone. It is one of the least salty oysters on the East Coast, thanks to its upriver home. You will be hard-pressed to find a virginica with the Rapp’s sweet and smooth flavor profile. Almost buttery, it is an oyster for people with “no palate or a great palate,” as Ryan Croxton says. Picture the sweet and savory qualities of a homemade root-vegetable stock. The low salinity allows an intriguing Blue Ridge minerality to come through, and also makes it a better match for wine than many oysters, and not just the usual high-acid whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadet. You won’t find a better oyster for Chardonnay than a Rappahannock River.
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