Anthony and I were looking for a good way to recharge our batteries for “sale” time, and hit upon a perfect theme – soft shells! They’re coming in from Maryland, fresh, soft, and delicious, so we did a few different preparations, and paired wines with each. The verdict?

The two best preparations were about as different as possible
A: A quick sauté with a compound chili butter paired with Schönleber’s Frühlingsplätzchen kabinett riesling 2006, which just sang with the delicately crunchy crab. The touch of sweetness was a perfect match with the chili butter.
and…
2: A sauté with a tarragon/parsley butter paired with a Chablis Premier Cru Mont Mileu 2005 from the Pinson family – the steely, mineral tones along with the crisp finish was perfect with the tarragon and parsley butter.

Of course, the best part is the crab, and this is the best time to eat them!

Download the tasting notes for these wines in PDF format

Posted by Stephen Freehill