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October 18, 2018

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Sherry is ideal companion for hairy crab season

Isacs is the founder and CEO of EnjoyGourmet, a leading gourmet digital (www.enjoygourmet.com.cn) and print media company in China. He has authored over a dozen wine and food books including the awarded ISACS Guides and other gourmet books and is a wine consultant to governments, wine regions and organizations. He also hosts wine events for leading organizations and companies throughout China. Contact John via jcolumn@enjoygourmet.com.

The advent of cooler temperatures and shorter days means only one thing for Shanghai gourmets — we’re in the midst of hairy crab season. Despite being rather troublesome to properly dissect and eat, hairy crabs are one of China’s most beloved gourmet delights.

Native to the coastal estuaries ranging from the southeastern Fujian Province to China’s boarder with North Korea, these seasonal creatures have a long history. Hairy crabs first appeared in historical documents during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC), but consumption of hairy crabs is far more ancient. The wine-loving, Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) poet Li Bai wrote lovingly of the sublime pleasures of experiencing the crabs with good wines.

Annually, I have the good fortune to write on and experience the pleasures pairing different wines with hairy crab. From dry and acidic white wines to classic Chinese rice wines like Shaoxing, hairy crabs have no shortage of synergistic partners. Two dry whites that work wonderfully with hairy crabs are Albarino wines from Spain and Chablis wines from northern Burgundy. The lively acidity in both Albarino and Chablis white wines makes them natural partners to Shanghai hairy crab. Alternating bites of the crab and generous sips of wines embellishes the enjoyment of both. The whites also nicely offset the richness of the ovaries and roe in female crabs and the sperm in the males.

Many of my more traditional Shanghai gourmet friends favor an old rice wine when eating hairy crabs. The best are rice wines from the Shaoxing region of Zhejiang Province. These highly aromatic and velvety-textured wines improve with age with the 10, 20 or even 30-year-old versions being delightful companions to steamed hairy crabs. In addition to steamed hairy crabs, another enticing treat is enjoying Shaoxing wine with hairy crab marinated in Shaoxing wine. Both acidic whites and fine aged Shaoxing rice wines are brilliant companions to hairy crabs. But if I was asked to name just one perfect partner, my answer would be Sherry.

From the historic city of Jerez with a 3,000-year history, Sherry is one of the world’s greatest and most inimitable wines. The grapes and process of making Sherry are unique. Every aspect of Sherry wine production is overseen the Jerez-Xeres-Sherry Consejo, the oldest such wine denomination and regulator in Spain.

The most important grape used to make Sherry is Palomino, which is sometimes blended with Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel to make sweeter styles of Sherries. The first stage of making Sherries is the same as making white wine, but it’s when the Solera aging process begins that the real magic happens.

Pale dry Sherries like Manzanilla and Fino undergo the aging process protected by a natural occurring yeast called flor that protects the wine from the oxygen. While darker Sherries like Oloroso have higher amounts of alcohol, adding that kill the protective flor so the wines start undergoing oxidative aging.

All Sherries must be aged a minimum of three years in the Solera system that comprises stacked rows of American oak casks stored in Cathedral like buildings with ample aeration. The result of this special aging system is wines of great intensity, complexity and character — the perfect partner for hairy crabs.

One of the beauties of Sherry is the diversity of styles, from bone dry to extremely sweet. The best Sherries to pair with hairy crabs are the more delicate dry styles, namely Manzanilla, Fino or Amontillado Sherries. My fellow Sherry enthusiasts in Shanghai love to debate which of the three styles is actually best. Personally, I believe an excellent case could be made for all three.

Manzanilla is the most delicate style of Sherry that’s aged under a very special type of flor that only grows in Sanlucar de Barrameda near the ocean. This straw -colored, fresh and slightly salty wine matches extremely well with a wide variety of Chinese water treats including hairy crab. The zesty, bright qualities of the wine bring out the freshness and natural flavors of the crab while the alcohol nicely cleanses the mouth.

Fino is a pale golden-colored wine that generally has more structure and weight than Mazanilla wines. More pungent specimens of hairy crab are especially good with Fino as the strong smell and taste of the crab doesn’t overwhelm the Sherry.

Fino, like Mazanilla, accentuates the freshness of the crab and acts as a palate cleanser. The yeasty nature of many Finos also adds further complementary flavor dimensions to the crab meat, roe or sperm.

Amontillado is a distinct style of Sherry that starts out as a Fino Sherry that undergoes biological aging, then goes through the oxidative aging process that bequeaths extra color, weight and complexity. The combination of a brilliant amber color and elegant aromas and flavors make Amontillado one of the most pleasing of styles of Sherries and also a wine that beautifully accompanies many refined Chinese dishes. The color and complexity of Amontillado Sherries are somewhat reminiscent of top well-aged Shaoxing wines but in my opinion even more refined and expressive. All these qualities make the wine an ideal partner to hairy crabs. Excellent Sherry producers with wines in Shanghai include Gonzalez Byass, Lustau, Hidalgo and Williams & Humbert.

Where to buy in Shanghai

Varieties: There are three authorized varieties for Sherry wines; namely, Palomino, Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel.

Key term: The flor, or literally the flower, is a layer of living yeasts that protect Sherry wines from the air in the barrel.




 

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