The Williamsburg Winery is serving up sustainably sourced oysters, crabs and more at its third annual Summer Solstice Celebration and Seafood Festival this Friday.
The event is presented in partnership with the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center’s Sensible Seafood Program.
Serving up seafood may seem like a strange choice for an aquarium initiative, but the program was created to promote sustainable fishing practices, which ultimately benefit ocean life.
“[The program] is all about local seafood — that is not over-fished and or harvested in an environmentally destructive way,” said Michael Kimball, Vice President of Marketing at the Williamsburg Winery. “It’s not mass-produced seafood.”
In keeping with that mission, Wessex Hundred Executive Chef Ian Robbins will be working with seafood providers who adhere to the Virginia Aquarium’s Sensible Seafood standards for Friday’s event.
Menu selections include oysters on the half shell from Big Island Aquaculture, seafood paella, tuna crudo, blue crab sliders, fried flounder and smoked catfish dip.
The Winery will also be celebrating the release of the 2015 vintage of its popular Midsummer Night’s White, which pairs well with all of Friday’s menu items, according to Kimball.
“Midsummer Night’s White is created in a way that captures the essence of summer in a bottle,” Kimball said. “It pairs perfectly with seafood, particularly with the oysters from Big Island Aquaculture. They’ve produced an oyster that’s higher in salinity and the sweetness of the wine pairs perfectly.”
In keeping with the theme of local wine and local seafood, local jazz band 504 Supreme will be playing the event.
“It’s going to be a blast,” Kimball said. “It’s a great way to kick off summer.”
The fun starts at 6:30 p.m. inside Wessex Hall. Guests are encouraged to wear white and gold attire, and tickets can be purchased here.
