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Stone Crabs with Oltrepo Pavese

This month the #ItalianFWT group is making its way to Lombardy to visit the Oltrepo Pavese region. I am learning that this area creates amazing wines of all fashions, including sparkling, still, and sweet wines in all grape types.  You will find fabulous cuisine, interesting history, and charming traditions here as well.  I have to say thank you to Consorzio Oltrepo’ Pavese for providing us wine samples.  A special thank you to Savannah at Avvinare for arranging the samples for us!




The Oltrepo Pavese region is one of Italy's best-kept secrets. It's only 50 miles south of Milan, yet the tourism is relatively low.  That's good for the rest of us who like beautiful, authentic, and quiet areas to visit.  It is for sure on my bucket list, as the area produces 60% of the pinot nero (pinot noir) grape. The first pinot nero grape was planted in the area about 150 years ago by Count Augusto Giogidi Vistarino.  He believed the mild climate and the clay of the area would be ideal for growing.  This led to the first spumante in Oltrepo in 1865. What a great year that must have been!




The Metodo Classico Oltrepo Pavese is one of the DOCG wines of Italy, the highest degree of quality achievable for wine.  Even with this distinction, tourism has not yet developed, yet this area offers a true glimpse of authentic Italian culture.  There are castles, medieval villages, monasteries, views, and beautiful vistas.  There is a lot to explore in this unknown part of Italy.




We were given a beautiful rose named la Bolla. It is a flavorful and foamy wine with tastes of strawberry and cream, but not exceedingly sweet. There's enough acidity to keep a nice balance with the red juicy fruit. The wine is made in the spumante classic method, with 24 months on the lees plus six months in the bottle. It is 100% pinot nero.  The wine is a salmon pink color, with a thick but soft foam. It is a fresh and crisp wine.  We served this wine with stone crabs from Florida.




Florida stone crabs are quite the treat.  Florida accounts for 99% of the stone crabs harvested each year, making it a vital part of the economy.  This is the height of the stone crab harvest, and fishermen from our city go each year to fish and bring back stone crabs for land-locked Missouri.  Stone crab claws must be at least 2 7/8" long between the elbow joint and the top of the claw that is unmoveable.  




To cook them we like to do it the simple way: steam in saltwater and serve with drawn butter.  We serve them with new potatoes and broccoli, all covered with butter sauce.  Stone crab claws are fairly easy to break when they are fresh.  We loved the sparkling rose with the crabs, the acidity nicely cut through all that butter and created a lovely balance.  

Join my fellow #ItalianFWT bloggers as they explore this delightful area as well! 

Would you like to comment?

  1. Hi- When I open your blog I can't seem to tell which is your newest post. I think it is about the third row down when I open it? I think I am finally able to comment now though. Hope you have a great weekend. xo Diana

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  2. This looks like a delicious meal! I am not good at cooking shellfish :(

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  3. I love trying new wines, this looks awesome! But the crabs look to die for. I can't wait to have some this year. We love crabbing.

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  4. This sounds like a really interesting Rose, how nice to get to try different wines and work out what they pair perfectly with.

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  5. This looks so delicious. I love fresh seafood and need to try these.

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  6. Omg, this looks delicious! And that wine sounds so good too. Perfect dinner! :D

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  7. This seems like a start to GREAT night. I need to recreate this for me and my hubby.

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  8. Your description of this wine is awesome. You have such a way of your writing that I could almost taste it. Thank you for such a great review.

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  9. Love crab but hate all the work required to eat it. The wine would make the work seem festive with these claws.

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  10. We love stone crabs in this household. And I can imagine how delicious they would be with a sparkling wine from the Oltrepo'. Cin cin, Terri.

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  11. Both the wine and the Florida crabs look very tasty! We generally choose sangrias and sweet wines, but I'm starting to appreciate some of the dryer wines. I think I would like la Bolla!

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  12. Richelle Milar1:30 PM

    Wow! That looks absolutely delicious and tasty I’ve never tried this before

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  13. Terri,
    Those stone crabs sound like a perfect pairing for that wine. I am so glad you enjoyed it and that the pairing was a success. Yes Pinot Nero sparkling wines are splendid from this region. Cheers, Susannah (Savannah makes me sound more southern and interesting:)

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  14. We love seafood and now I'm craving for crabs. If only I could find those stone crabs around here. -LYNNDEE

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  15. Never heard of Florida stone craps! Chesapeake Bay and Dungeness crabs, yes. So I was quite fascinated by your post. and your pairing looks amazing.

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  16. I can just imagine how good the rosé was with those stone crab claws! Yum.

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  17. I'm digging your wine and food pairing Terri. I tasted Stone Crab many moons ago, when I visited the East Coast. Yummy!

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  18. Rose Ann Sales1:15 PM

    Oh my that looks absolutely yummy and tasty! That wine looks really perfect I love it!

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  19. Your Oltrepò rose and seafood pairing is so perfect! No crab for us but shrimp would be lovely too! Very cosy photos :-)

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  20. I just love stone crabs and this pairing with a lovely sparkling wine is just wonderful!

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