Pearl's Oyster House
Oysters, good pours, absurdly fair prices
South Main · Memphis · Seafood
Reviewed March 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Pearl's is short, unpretentious, and priced like they actually want you to order a bottle. We're talking bottles in the $39–$58 range with markups so thin you'll do a double-take. It's not a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and that honesty is refreshing.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans on a tight roster of Italian and California standbys — Friuli whites, a Montepulciano from Abruzzo, a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and a handful of private-label bottles under names like 'Bespoke' and 'Exclusive.' Don't expect old-world depth or anything remotely adventurous. What you get instead is a focused, no-drama lineup built for seafood-forward eating without requiring a wine degree to navigate. The Fantini Montepulciano is the one regional producer worth calling out by name — everything else is crowd-pleasing filler that does its job without embarrassing anyone.
By the Glass
Nine-plus pours by the glass, nearly all in the $12–$15 range, which is genuinely remarkable for a restaurant in 2024. The Mohua Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough makes a strong case for itself as the glass to order with a plate of oysters. Rotation appears minimal — this is a set list, not a program with a pulse.
Fantini Montepulciano, Abruzzo, Italy — $46/bottle
Farnese's Fantini line consistently over-delivers at retail and Pearl's is basically passing that value straight to you. At $46 a bottle, this is one of the more honest pours on the list — juicy, food-friendly, and built for the kind of casual seafood dinner where nobody's pretending to be serious.
Mohua Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Most people at an oyster bar reach for Prosecco or Chardonnay on autopilot. The Mohua SB is the smarter move — bright acidity, citrus-forward, and a natural match for briny shellfish. It's sitting right there at $14 a glass and most tables walk right past it.
Moët & Chandon Brut Rosé, Champagne, France (187ml split)
A 187ml split of Moët at $46 is a tough sell when you can get a full bottle of something more interesting for the same money. The math just doesn't work — you're paying Champagne prestige pricing for a single-serve format at a casual oyster bar.
Mohua Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand + Char Grilled Oysters
The char and smoke on the grilled oysters need something with enough acidity and herbaceous punch to cut through without getting lost — the Mohua does exactly that. It's not a complicated pairing, it's just a correct one.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Pearl's isn't a wine destination, but the markups are so legitimately fair that we'd order a bottle here without flinching. Come for the oysters, stay because the wine list won't clean out your wallet.
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