Wine With…Soft-Shell Crabs

Wine With . . . Soft-Shell Crabs

by Paul Lukacs and Marguerite Thomas

Soft shell crabs long have been a favorite in Maryland where we live, but nowadays they’re popping up on menus and in markets all across the country.  We love them, especially in spring, when they’re fresh and flavorful.  Though you can get frozen soft shells just about all year round, fresh ones are most plentiful from mid-April through June.  So a couple of weeks ago, when the first soft shells showed up at our local seafood market, we just had to buy some–and find out what sort of wines pair best with them.

Soft shells are blue crabs that are caught when molting or shedding their hard shells.  They do this because their bodies literally have outgrown their armor.  As a result, the meat is particularly rich and succulent. 

Soft shells are a snap to prepare.  First, clean them, or ask your fishmonger to do this for you.  Then dry them with paper towel, and dredge them in flour seasoned with paprika and cayenne pepper.  Heat equal parts olive oil and butter over medium-high heat, and sauté the crabs for three to five minutes per side, flipping them only once.  (You’ll know when they’re done because they’ll be nicely browned and plump.)  Don’t be surprised if they pop and spit when you cook them; soft shells contain a lot of moisture.  Serve one or two per person with plenty of lemon (the tart citrus provides a great foil for the rich meat) and a simple green salad.  Voila–the perfect spring supper.

We tried twelve wines with our soft shells–eleven whites and one rosé–and the results surprised us a bit.  We had thought that zesty, fresh wines would do best, since in the past we’ve often enjoyed Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs with soft shells.  But while both a Pouilly Fumé and a Marlborough Sauvignon from New Zealand tasted okay with this fairly rich dish, they seemed too light for it.  Much the same was true of an Italian Pinot Grigio and a Washington State Riesling.  That last wine also seemed too sweet, as did an Alsatian Gewurztraminer.  Conversely, the rosé ended up being heavy and clunky, as did a heavily oaked California Chardonnay.

Which wines performed best?  Those that seemed fairly rich themselves, whether from the fruit or from the judicious use of oak, but at the same time retained freshness and delicacy.  No matter the grape variety, these wines enhanced the taste of the crab–both the succulent meat and the peppery soft shell.  Yum!

Selection

Approx. Price

Faiveley, Mâcon-Prissé (Burgundy, France) 2003                       

(Imported by Wilson Daniels)                              

  $17

Tasted on its own before dinner, this

offering from Burgundy seemed almost too introverted; but as often happens when two soul mates meet, both parties drew out the best in the other. The wine opened up and unfurled a generous dose of minerality that particularly flattered the sweet crabmeat.  In turn, the soft shells responded with a complexity of their own that they did not reveal to this extent with any of the other wines.  That’s why this was our favorite match of the evening.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Walker Bay (South Africa) Chardonnay 2005

(Imported by Vineyard Brands)

 $24

Big, bold and buttery Chardonnays typically connect gastronomically with foods sautéed in butter, and this one was no exception.  The weighty texture of the wine mirrored the richness of the crabmeat, with the result that each bite and sip provided a lush and opulent taste experience.

St. Supéry. Napa Valley (California) “Virtú” 2004

 $25

Proof that initial impressions are not always to be trusted: first tasted without food, we were inclined to find this Sauvignon Blanc/ Sémillon blend a little heavy on the oak.  Once the soft shells entered the picture, however, the sensations shifted.  The wine slipped into balance, with the Sauvignon Blanc offering a grapefruit-like zestiness, and the Sémillon adding a soft, plush texture that reflected the plump meatiness of the crab. The oak, instead of dominating the scene, now played a supporting role, adding dimension and nuance to the mix.

Sterling, Napa Valley (California) Sauvignon Blanc 2005

  $15

This wine has both the bright, grassy character traditionally associated with Sauvignon Blanc, and  a rich sweetness emblematic of ripe California fruit.  Both qualities played well with the soft shells: the grassiness came across almost as if a handful of fresh herbs had been strewn over the crabs, while that touch of sweetness rounded out the flavors of the dish in a way that the leaner, more acidic Sauvignon Blancs in our sampling failed to do.

Zaca Mesa, Santa Ynez Valley (California) Viognier 2005

  $17

From a winery that too often seems to fly under the radar of mainstream wine criticism, this wine was absolutely delicious with the crab.  That’s because both it and the dish turned out to be similarly endowed in terms of texture and intensity of flavor. The kick of honeysuckle one looks for in Viognier bonded almost magically with the crispy, buttery soft shells.