Crabs and Pairing
Wine Column – 17th October
Summer turns to fall and the transition can be smelt and tasted with your taste buds. Among all kinds of shellfish, crabs are one of the ingredients that can be prepared in the simplest way, allowing its natural flavours to shine through. Different types of crabs have unique characteristics and can be matched with a variety of styles of wines.
A glass of well-structured, full of mineral notes Bourgogne blanc, Benoit Ente Aligote echoes perfectly with the sweet meaty-ness of Alaskan King Crab legs. To keep the base flavours of the delicacy, it is highly recommended to prepare the crab in the simplest way, either steamed or charcoal grilled with a bit of Aioli.
Sake is another good partner when enjoying crab. Yasakatsuru “Kame no O” Jumai Ginjo with a rice-polishing ratio of 55% and remarkably complex mineral aroma makes a crisp impression on the palate. This selection goes well with the savory characteristic of Matsuba-gani (Fukui snow crab).
A 25 years aged yellow wine that tastes like sweet raisin with the smell of sherry will cut through the oiliness of crab butter from Shanghainese hairy crab. This also amplifies the umami in the dish.
Need something to combat the heat from the chili spices of Under Bridge Crab? A bottle of off-dry Alsace Trimbach Riesling with a hint of sweetness will be the perfect solution.
Although crab goes along well with a large variety of wines, there are some limitations when selecting. Try to avoid drinking full body red wines because the tannin acid in the crab’s protein can easily upset your stomach.
