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

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 Ambassador who partners with select venues along Maine's MidCoast to host oyster tastings.

Please review the experience descriptions below for the oyster and pairing inclusions.

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

Virginia conducts oyster tastings at Oysthers in Bath, Maine, and in West Point, ME on the docks and at the bar of an old general store. Both locations offer waterfront vistas and unique opportunites to experience Maine.

Virginia is also mobile! She works with restaurant and Inn partners and always looking to increase her venue partnerships.

Virginia Shaffer is a food writer and Oyster Master Guild Certified™️ Oyster Ambassador who has written and studied oysters for over 7 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.