As a late birthday present this week, I received a box of stone crabs from Joe’s, the legendary Miami restaurant which has its own fleet of boats to source the world’s best sweet, meaty crustaceans.
What wine was grand enough for this epic and luxurious crab feast? I splurged on a similarly decadent 2002 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, a white Burgundy of creamy texture and intense concentration, with notes of apples and peaches and a stony tang.
One need not resort to a wine of this dizzying specialness to flatter the butter-and-saline magic of stone crabs. Equally compelling would have been a high-quality California Chardonnay, an Albariño from Spain, or richer-style Champagne or sparkling wine.
The meal: Joe’s stone crab claws, clarified butter, Joe’s mustard sauce, creamed spinach, hash browns, and key lime pie.
Hungry for your own? You can order in from Joe’s here on their website.
For more on wine pairing, check out my latest book, How to Drink Like a Billionaire!
