by Matthew Rorick
Assistant Winemaker, Miura Vineyards

Though we often think of crab as a midwinter treat, the season for local Dungeness actually extends clear through the end of June. So on a recent spring day, while most foodies were celebrating the arrival of the season's first asparagus and strawberries, my winemaking friends and I decided to get together for an impromptu sparkling wine tasting, pairing the wines with local fresh crab.

The promise of local Dungeness and free sparkling wines quickly rallied my tasting partners: Michelle, Elizabeth and Matty, all winemakers in Napa Valley, and Dan, a plant biologist. I found fresh cooked crab for around $5.99/lb at Vallergas Market in Napa, also available at similar prices from Mollie Stone's, Andronico's, and Whole Foods. The adventurous can procure live crab for just over $2/lb at Sunset Super in San Francisco and prepare them at home, though I opted for the pre-cooked variety for simplicity's sake. To complement the crab I offered my tasters curried mayonnaise, a ginger-hoisin sauce and a fresh fennel relish. This way we were able to match the wines with not only the sweetness of crabmeat but also the richness of the mayonnaise, the spicy heat of the hoisin and the sweet tang of fennel.

Champagne is one of the most versatile and food-friendly wines in the world, due to its high degree of acidity, which refreshes and cleanses the palate with ease whether consumed with caviar or takeout Chinese. Of course, much of sparkling wine's appeal comes directly from the sparkle itself. The size of the bubbles -- or bead, as they're sometimes called -- is often used as an indicator of quality, the smaller the better. Smaller beads result from longer aging time in the bottle and cooler storage temperatures during aging. Compare the sensation of a methode Champenoise wine on the palate to that of a soft drink (with its fat, coarse bubbles formed by injected carbonation) and you can see why the size of the mousse indicates a lot about the quality of the bottle.

The wines we chose included two French, three Californian and one from New Mexico. Our two true Champagnes were the Bollinger Special Cuvee and Veuve Cliquot Brut; the Californian sparklers were the non-vintage Etoile from Domaine Chandon, a 1997 Blanc de Noir from S. Anderson, and a 1998 J. Schram from Schramsberg. A bottle of New Mexican bubbly from Gruet rounded out our flight.

Gruet Methode Champenoise, Blanc de Noirs, non-Vintage, New Mexico
We all agreed that out of all of the New World offerings the Gruet was the most similar to Champagne in style, with dominant acidity and less of the bold, forward ripe fruit character found in California wines. Earthy mushroom notes and apple aromas, instead, were dominant in this wine. Michelle noted a pleasant lemon oil scent, but Elizabeth didn't think it delicate, citing sour cream notes. Matty pointed out that it lost its mousse quickly, within a minute of pouring.

1997 S. Anderson Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine, Napa Valley
Opening with a beautifully small-beaded mousse, the aromas exuding from the glass enticed all of us right away. Michelle noted marzipan notes, a comment Elizabeth agreed with, though she also included truffles in her description of the bouquet. Much to his delight, Matty found a hint of cat pee, while Dan noted a slight rubbery scent which blew off once the wine had time to breathe. I found that on the palate, the S. Anderson displayed round, balanced acid and was not as sharp as the Gruet. We all noted a fullness of fruit character which we attributed to the California climate that fosters riper fruit character in general. This is not to say that the wine was entirely fruit-driven; we also noted malt and yeast flavors integrated with the apple and tropical fruit, altogether forming an impressively balanced, creamy finish.

Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label NV, France
While the mousse did not appear to be as fine as that of the S. Anderson, its persistence in the glass allowed us to enjoy the wine's sparkle throughout the tasting. In the nose, Elizabeth noted a buttery or creamy aroma, while Matty found nutty, sherry-like components. Quite effusive about the wine, Matty noted a fine balance between the acidity and racy flavors. Dan enjoyed the tones of fresh raw yogurt, also noting that the pear and apple tones were interwoven with malty caramel notes and a fresh nuttiness he likened to pine nuts. I found the finish noteworthy for its persistence as well as its distinct lemon tart character.

Bollinger Special Cuvee NV
This bottle was richer and more possessed of character imparted by extended sur lies ageing than the Veuve Cliquot. A big fan of the Veuve Cliquot, Matty actually preferred this wine, noting cinnamon and nutmeg in the nose and a rich hazelnut finish more persistent than the Yellow Label's fairly impressive length. Michelle agreed with the nutmeg character, and Elizabeth found it wonderfully delicate and complex. We all agreed that there was no shortage of fruit as well, declaring it to be densely flavored and intriguing.

Domaine Chandon Etoile NV
Marketed as a wine which sees 'at least 5 years of lees contact,' this bottle seemed to offer little of the flavors and aromas associated with sur lies ageing. Instead it was driven almost entirely by ultra-ripe fruit. Matty found the mousse to be overly foamy on the palate, lacking the refinement and tight bead of the previous offerings. Elizabeth noted a slight maltiness, but most of us were unable to get past the barrage of in-your-face fruit which dominated the nose and palate. Michelle found the wine to be candy sweet and simple, an effect that Dan likened to a sugary piña colada.

Schramsberg J Schram 1998
This premium bottling from the legendary California sparkling producer opened with aromas of strawberry and melon, both of which were present on the palate as well. Several of us found it to be agreeably creamy, with a rich and buttery mouthfeel. Elizabeth noted excellent acid balance and a touch of malty flavors. The wine had some of the riper fruit character expressed by the Etoile, but balanced this with deep lees character. Extremely rich and dense, this is a serious bottle for sparkling enthusiasts and one in which the thickly layered flavors and aromas invite the taster to return to the glass for more.

After discussing the wines on their own, we delved into a heaping bowl of legs and claws. The rich succulent crabmeat was, across the board, wonderfully matched with the acidity of the wines. As we cracked open the last of our crabs, we talked over the bottles and discussed their relative merits as a part of the meal.

Three out of our group of five felt that the Veuve Cliquot was the best of the group with food. I among them, we cited as our reasons the wine's fresh and lively acidity as well as the finesse of its powerful yet delicate flavors and balance. Elizabeth found the S. Anderson and Schramsberg sparklers to be quite good and interesting to sample as well, but not as food-friendly as the Veuve Cliquot. Michelle enjoyed the Bollinger, finding it intense, focused and possessed of richly extracted flavors. She enjoyed how it changed over time, but preferred the VC's bright framework of acidity as a complement to the meal.

The Bollinger received the other two top nods. Dan noted that the California produced bottles were more fruit-forward and better suited to drinking on their own, while the higher acid of the remaining selections made them a better match for food. Matty placed the Bollinger just above the VC by dint of a cleaner finish, though he hastened to add that the J. Schram was his favorite wine on its own, as he was intrigued by the depth and density of this meticulously crafted bottle.

For overall value, the Gruet, at around $15, was somewhat outclassed by its higher-priced company, but we all agreed that its affordability combined with its unique place of origin make it a wine worth trying. S. Anderson's Blanc de Noirs, one of my personal favorites, stands out as a California sparkling wine with depth and complexity. I found my bottle at Trader Joe's in Santa Rosa for under $25, and all present agreed that it was the best value of the tasting. The Bollinger, Veuve Cliquot and Domaine Chandon's Etoile all cost $30 to 35 at J&V Wine & Spirits in Napa. The Etoile couldn't stand up to its French counterparts, coming up short on acid, balance and complexity by comparison. The J. Schram was a far more interesting -- and more expensive ($80 retail from the winery) -- domestic offering, whose density and layers of rich, earthy tones were intriguing and delightful.

While a festive wine and food pairing can be a wonderful weekend event, wine and crab can also make for a delicious, easy weeknight meal. You can pick up everything on the way home from work: cooked crab, a bottle of bubbly, dips and sauces or just lemon and butter, and perhaps some pasta salad -- a great meal anytime from the low-lit days of winter clear through to our current bright spring evenings.

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