Fresh Stone Crab Claws and Merry Edwards Sav Blanc - DAYUM!

WINE TALK
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As a Floridian, we wait with bated breath for stone crab season. Starting in mid-October and running through May, but the best always seem to be the first 6-8 weeks of season. There is a freshness to the meaty white crab meat that is beyond compare. A true local delicacy.

Big clunky crab legs. Some effort to break through the thick-walled claws, but once through, the meat is thick, meaty and remarkably flavorful. Some folks douse their hard-earned meat with butter, or worse, a mustard sauce. I prefer mine plain. Fresh and plain. And when fresh, the salinity in the meat is pronounced, just delicious. The fish house where my wife and I buy our claws are as fresh off the boat as they get. The claws still had sea water in them. Smart buyers pick the medium-sized claws not the large or jumbos that can cost upwards of $30 per pound. The mediums actually have more meat per pound of claw as the shell of the jumbo is thick and heavy. The mediums are easier to crack, more tender meat and less expensive.

Dinner is simple: Claws. Garlic bread. Grilled sweet potato. You really do not need much else.

Oh, you do need wine. Merry Edwards seems to be the perfect pairing for us. My wife is a big Sav Blanc fan, drinking NZ Sav Blanc most evenings. I like it, but find it too tart for the claws. An oaky Chard too sweet. The Merry Edwards, with its modest oak treatment, finds the right balance to pair with this meaty crustacean. The 2011 vintage is a toned-down version of the 2010, which frankly, I found a bit too sweet. Less acidity than the '09, the '11 turned out to be exactly what I wanted. Just beautifully round, tropical with a touch of spice. We knocked down that bottle as fast as we devoured the claws.

Since its my birthday, my wife is cleaning up, I’m about to go chose a red, typing these thoughts, and it’s time for a family movie. Perfect way to kick-off a holiday weekend, which for me, started last Friday! Had a nice wine lunch with my colleagues too.

Cheers all, and have a wonderful holiday weekend.

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“Big clunky crab legs”

You eating the LEGS ??? [wow.gif] [wow.gif] [wow.gif] [tease.gif]

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Thanks for the idea. My in laws have a crab pot out in JAX catching them as we speak. Arrive tomorrow and will head straight out to get the proper blanc. Like you I often find SB strikes the balance of richness and acidity that can be elusive in chard.

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sounds yumtastic. I have also seen a lack of partners hanging around at the office this week :wink:

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Damn, Kenny, you are in the State again!?! Shoot, I’m headed down to Vero Beach tomorrow to visit my folks, bike in tow, for nice leisurely oceanside rides down AIA. Your timing is perfect, the freshness of the crabs is showing right now.

Another great pairing, Kenny, is a real mature Champagne, say some with 10 or more years on it. The effervescence has toned down, but the crispness still prevails, along with some sweet Chard without the oak influence. Just great.

Ned - you don’t eat the “knuckles”? That’s some damn good part of the legs! :wink:

Fu - partners need a break, man. Do you know how much work it takes to keep you wild high-rolling associates in check!?

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I used to have my own Stone Crab traps in Biscayne Bay , Back in the 60’s !
No Mas !

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I was in Florida in 10/2012 for about 2 weeks. I think I had stone crab claws 5 times. Man oh man are those things great!!!

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Happy Birthday, Robert. Thanks for jogging the stone crab claw memories! I lived in Sarasota back in my early twenties and remember the sweet deliciousness of stone crab meat.

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Hey Robert -

I share your view on the 11

Just an FYI…,

I had pretty much given up on my Merry Edwards SB 12 as too rich when I was halfway through my case-buy, so it’s been crammed in the back of the Eurocave.

But I ordered a 375 of the 11 over clam chowder at the neighborhood fishery last week and was served the 12 instead. It was great. I don’t know if it was just bottle variation or maybe they lose some baby fat over the course of their first year? In any case, I’m looking forward to digging another 12 out and giving it a try on the next sunny weekend afternoon that shows up. Will report back

Cheers,

Joe

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We’re drinking 2009 and 2010’s and are liking them just fine. However, we are NOT drinking them with stone crabs.

When we were in Maine last summer … Eating lobster almost daily, we found that we liked wines with a bit more RS … LESS acid. (Not ME)

Then, when we were home, we found that we didn’t like the lobster wines with “regular” food.

YMMV