Although some Shanghainese shops are selling hairy crabs now, the season begins in earnest later this month. Hairy crabs are a much prized delicacy, mostly coming from the lakes and estuaries around Shanghai. They're eaten primarily for their rich roe, which is sometimes referred to as fat. The insignificant amount of meat is hardly worth the effort. The roe in female hairy crabs is harder than that of the male. When cooked, the female roe turns egg yolk-like in texture, whereas the male roe is much more like sticky, smooth peanut butter. The heftily oxidised Shaoxing or yellow rice wine (huang jiu) is typically paired with the crabs, but has limited appeal to western palates. The best wine with hairy crab has to have some sugar or fruit sweetness. Dry whites, big reds and woody wines are going to render the crustacean really fishy in taste.
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise 2003, Laurus, Rhone Valley, France
This lovely wine from the southern Rhone Valley is made by adding grape-based alcohol to semi-fermenting sweet fruity grape juice. The result is an abundance of fresh flowers and seductive fruitiness. The full body nature of the muscat will set a good platform for the hairy crab roe. The fruitiness will add sweetness, but in a different direction to the crab's sweetness. Finally, the 15 or so per cent of drying alcohol will bring balance to the palate. The brown vinegar often served as dipping sauce will destroy this wine, but the shredded ginger will lift the combination.
Available for $258 (500ml bottle) from Jebsen (tel: 2923 8777)
Inniskillin Sparkling Icewine 2002, Ontario, Canada
A few years ago, icewine producers in Germany, Austria and Canada agreed that the term 'icewine' can be used only for wines made from grapes that are frozen in the vineyards. The term 'carbo-glace', on the other hand, refers to wines that are harvested, then frozen in the refrigerator. This curious sparkling icewine brings together concentrated grapiness with refreshingly soft, palate-cleansing carbonation. It tastes like pears and fruit salad. There's a very high level of sugar-balanced acidity to cleanse the palate.