Wine With…Lobster

Wine With Lobster

by Paul Lukacs and Marguerite Thomas    

Lobster trivia question: how many legs does a lobster have?  (Answer below.)

Fresh lobster is as close to summertime bliss as dining gets. Spiny or rock lobsters-the species that inhabits tropical and semi-tropical waters and lacks large claws-can be delicious, but what we’re rhapsodizing over here is Homarus Americanus, found in the cold waters off the Atlantic coast of North America. One of the charms of lobster is that it can be prepared in scores of different ways, including bisque, Newburg (with wine and Madeira or sherry), Thermidor (béchamel sauce and parmesan), Armoricaine (or Americaine, with tomatoes, brandy, wine and tarragon), or the informal Lobster Roll (lobster salad stuffed into a sandwich roll or hot dog bun).   But to our taste, nothing beats the perfection of a simple, steamed lobster. 

According to common wisdom the best wine to have with steamed lobster is Chardonnay, and we weren’t about to quibble.  We did wonder, however, if the options are really that limited — and indeed, a recent sampling showed us that, while Chardonnay is an almost guaranteed success, there are plenty of other types of wine also to be enjoyed with this favorite crustacean. 

A note about our tasting: one of us endorses the tradition of dipping the lobster in melted butter, the other prefers the purity of unadulterated lobster – no butter, no lemon, just the perfect wine for adornment. Given that melted butter unquestionably amplifies the overall richness of the dish, it’s somewhat surprising that the two of us were in relative agreement about what constituted the ‘perfect’ wine for the match (or at least in as much agreement as we usually are).  Perhaps the particular qualities of lobster itself override whatever ‘enhancements’ it is given.  In any event, the wines we both preferred had full, ripe flavors and a relatively generous texture to balance the rich, dense lobster meat.  A Pinot Grigio and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, for example, which were both just dandy on their own, seemed feeble in both taste and texture with the lobster.  Even a $40 California Pinot Gris didn’t make the grade; it had good aromas and irreproachable flavors, but it too seemed unsatisfactorily thin in body.  We never expected red wine to be an agreeable companion to steamed lobster, but in the interest of scientific – or at least epicurean – investigation, we did try a Pinot Noir with it.  Not surprisingly, this otherwise lovely low tannin wine completely killed the delightful maritime flavor of the lobster. 

It’s hard to believe that lobsters used to be so plentiful along the New England coast that the earliest European settlers plowed them into the fields as fertilizer.  Today they are a pricey commodity since demand exceeds supply, but for us they’re a summer luxury worth an occasional splurge. 

Answer to the trivia question: like crabs and shrimp, lobsters have ten legs.  These sea creatures are all members of the Decapod order (deca: 10, pod: foot).

Selection

Approx. Price

Comments

Argyle, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Chardonnay ‘Nuthouse’ 2005

  $29

Chardonnay and lobster constitute a predictably successful pairing, and this wine did not at all disappoint.  Its ripe flavors and, as important, its full body complemented the rich meat, allowing us to taste and enjoy both food and wine fully.

Barth René, Alsace (France) Pinot Blanc 2004

(Imported by Monarchia Matt International)

 $14

This attractively-priced Pinot Blanc had enough heft to hold its own, and as so often happens with this varietal, it almost magically became more flavorful when we sipped it with the food.  The more we taste Pinot Blanc for these ‘Wine With’ features, the more convinced we become that it’s a phenomenally food-friendly grape.

Mar de Frades, Rias Baixas (Spain) Albarino 2006 (Imported by Quintessential)

 $28

We feared that this wine would prove too light-bodied for this dish, but not to worry, as its waxy texture allowed it to stand up to the lobster, even when dipped in butter.  Very fresh, the wine had an almost salty edge, so the pairing tasted of the sea.

Chateau Routas, Vin du Pays du Var (France) Viognier ‘Coquelicot‘ 2006

(Imported by Routas USA)

  $18

Ripe and fruity, tasting of apricots and peaches with a pronounced floral perfume, this wine almost seemed distracting, but it had such an ideal, fleshy body that the match ended up working well.  It served as a reminder that texture is every bit as important as flavor when pairing wine with food.

Yalumba, South Australia (Australia) Sangiovese Rosé 2006

(Imported by Negociants USA)

 $12

This was not our favorite match, as the red fruit flavors seemed a bit heavy, but the Down Under rosé outperformed the light-body whites we tried and did taste cool and refreshing.  Dry rosé is our recommendation if you for some reason won’t open a white with your lobster.