Briny, sweet, mineral, vegetal… Get ready for your tastebuds to travel across the MidCoast!

Akin to a sommelier-led wine tasting, an oyster tasting is a guided tour through nature, labor, time, and flavor. Virginia is an Oyster Master Guild Certified™ Oyster Specialist and food writer who hosts tastings on a small, waterfront rooftop in Phippsburg, ME.

Virginia provides expert oyster knowledge across:

✓ Aquaculture practices
✓ Drink and accoutrement pairings 
✓ The ecology of Maine’s estuaries and bays
✓ Indigenous heritage
✓ Modern tasting etiquette
✓ How to identify oyster aromas, flavors, mouthfeel, and finish

Your Experts

1) Virginia, an Oyster Sommelier
2) Warwick, a Professional Oyster Shucker

Guided Tasting

12 oysters per person, from 3 Maine farms
2 different wine pairings to try
Take-home tasting journals
Accoutrements, e.g., lemon, mignonettes, and sauces
Freshly-baked focaccia
Tasting guidance

Optional Add-Ons

Make it a meal! Check out our lobster roll add-on.
Is it a special occasion? We offer Champagne & caviar upgrades!

Virginia Shaffer is a food writer and Oyster Master Guild Certified™️ Oyster Specialist who has written and studied oysters for over 8 years. She holds a B.A. in International Studies and a certificate in Gastronomic Tourism by Le Cordon Bleu in France. Virginia has led oyster appreciation nights at prestigious venues like the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park, NY.

Virginia’s oyster tastings guide guests through Maine’s bountiful rivers and bays. From farm stories to tasting profiles, she serves as an enthusiastic representative of Maine’s aquaculture community.