For a decadent (i.e., buttery) preparation of lobster, langoustine or crab, what wine from your list would you recommend as a complementary pairing, and what wine would you recommend as a contrasting pairing? And for each recommendation, please explain your reasoning—i.e., what are the principles at work, and why should the combination prove satisfying?
Laura Maniec, M.S., Director of Wine and Spirits, B. R. Guest Restaurants (New York City). For a decadent preparation of crab, I would choose Francois Quenard’s Chignin Bergeron Vielles Vignes from Savoie. I love the way the roussanne variety complements buttery, rich fish dishes. The ripe peach and apricot fruit pairs with the intensity of the dish and the subtle minerality reminds you that you are having shellfish. The wine goes through malolactic fermentation, which adds to its creamy finish and mimics that of the crab. Both are at their peak sweetness level in terms of ripeness of flavors.
A contrasting wine that would work perfectly with this dish is Marcel Moineaux Blanc de Blancs Champagne from Chouilly. Most people wouldn’t think of serving a light delicate blanc de blancs, or even a Champagne with this dish, but I believe the Champagne would stand up to the richness while acting the way a bit of fresh lemon zest would in this dish, brightening up the acidity and refreshing the palate.
Jesse Rodriguez, Director of Wine, The Grand Del Mar (San Diego). As a complementary pairing I would recommend hands down something from either Meursault or Chassagne-Montrachet. For the crab course, since it is lighter in profile, a wine from Puligny-Montrachet or a Rully wine from Deux Montille would work well here. The Meursault has a nutty, marzipan, creamy profile with bright minerality. Chassagne-Montrachet offers somewhat a similar profile, just toned down in intensity. From our list we would love to steer our guest towards the Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet or Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers. For Meursault, François Jobard’s or Domaine des Comtes Lafon’s Meursault. For those who like a more heightened profile, then Domaine des Comtes Lafon’s Meursault Charmes.
For contrasting styles I would look at the umami profiles that these shellfish have. I would want to select something that has fruit and acid and would not dominate the sweetness and savoriness of the lobster/langoustine or crab. I would go to a cru-level Beaujolais, such as the Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py, whose bright sweet fruit is laced with a silky structure. It would work well with the richness of the buttery preparation for the lobster, langoustine or crab.
Chuck Furuya, Master Sommelier, DK Restaurants (Honolulu). My knee-jerk recommendation with lobster, langoustine or crab is a dry to off-dry French Vouvray. In this case, because it is a decadent preparation, I would look to serve a slightly aged Gaston Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec. This single-vineyard Loire Valley standout works magic with such shellfish and will always have the richness and mega-intensity to stand up to decadence. At the same time, the amazing, innate sweet-sour see-saw of this bottling and its extravagant and uplifting minerality will make these kinds of dishes come alive.
This past week, I thankfully had two other incredible wines which would also work. Amazingly, they are both Californian! The first is the 2003 Au Bon Climat Hildegard, which is a sleek, highly refined, classy blend of pinot blanc, pinot gris and aligoté from venerable Santa Barbara star winemaker Jim Clendenen. This tribute to the thought that white Burgundies of old most likely included pinot mutations like blanc, gris and beurot has the sophistication for a top caliber, decadent French preparation, but also has the lively minerality and cool-climate acidity to keep the palate fresh and alive between bites.
The second, which I fortunately had yesterday and last Tuesday as well, is the 2002 Scherrer Chardonnay Scherrer Vineyard. We are talking about having a stellar wine at the perfect time of its life…glorious, seamless, sublime and delicious. Its gorgeous harmony would melt in with the shellfish and its still citrus-y edge would just accent the pairing. Just like the winemaker, Fred Scherrer, this wine pairing would be much more low-key and the wine would serve in a supportive role as opposed to trying to be the star.
Paul Einbund, Frances Restaurant (San Francisco). The quick response for any food and wine-pairing question should always be to eat what you want and drink what you like, that way you will always be happy. Saying this, of course, there is nothing better than that perfect food and wine pairing. Few moments, at least in a sommelier’s life, can be as moving as that poetic moment when a taste of wine and a bite of food make something greater than the sum of their parts.
Many years ago my restaurant at the time, the Water Grill in Los Angeles, was making dinner at the James Beard House. I was asked to pair wine with butter-poached lobster dish and through no skill of my own but rather the luck of having a friend like Martine Saunier was given 1990 Pierre Soulez Savennières and found the greatest pairing of my life.
On the wine list at Frances restaurant I am sorry to say that you will not be able to find the Pierre Soulez 1990 (believe me, I’ve been trying ever since) but a complementary pairing could still be made with a luscious chenin blanc from a different producer. Huet is still the benchmark producer in Vouvray and we are currently pouring his 2008 Le Mont Demi-Sec by the glass for $18. The richness on the palate texturally matches the lobster or crab perfectly in my opinion and there is a butteriness to both in flavor, as well as a touch of sweetness in both—add a little pine tree or foresty scent from the wine and it’s like you’ve cooked and eaten the dish in the wild where it was caught!
To contrast a dish of such richness and still find a beautiful match I might look to the 2007 Matthiasson white. This California wine is a blend of sauvignon blanc and at least three other grapes. With a little oak on the wine it will hint towards a complementary pairing but the acidity of the grapes is what seizes this day and cuts like a knife. While some may consider the use of the oak as a cheat I figure if you’re spending the money on lobster why not cheat a little and enjoy the spoils? The acidity of this wine will act a little like squeezing citrus on the dish and who doesn’t like a little lemon with their decadent lobster preparation?
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