6 VERSATILE WINE PAIRINGS FOR A CHINESE NEW YEAR FEAST

The best part of festivals is family and friends gatherings where you get to meet and cherish the wonderful day with your loved ones. Festival meals are the time to experiment and explore new food pairings and wines that you might have wanted to try for a while now. Wine is a versatile drink that has the ability to add flavor and depth when paired right. And like wine, Chinese cuisine also has a wonderful range of varieties that are lined up to light the spirit of the festival. The rich diversity of these two helps us explore and understand the perfect pairings of food and wine. So here is the pair guide for wine and dine you might want to try this new year.

Steamed fish and Rieslings

The Chinese culture considers Fish a symbol of prosperity and enjoying drool worthy delicacies on the New year’s eve feels fantastic. Steamed food is a healthy choice of meal especially pre-workout and could be a great start towards a healthy lifestyle. Steamed fish cooked with delicate flavors of vegetables and garnished with a splash of spice is a perfect meal of choice to enjoy. White wines pair amazingly with steamed fish by enhancing the flavors with a spicy kick. A light, fruity and crisp palate of Rieslings could be the right add to this festive season.

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Crispy Duck and Cabernet Sauvignon

Barbequed or fried dishes are heavy, and heavy bodied wines pair amazingly with these. Duck when cooked crispy has an enriching flavor along with the oily crunchiness that makes an amazing meal. A dry wine like Cabernet Sauvignon blends well with this crispy texture and is strong to match with the dish. If you are looking to enjoy something slightly light then any sparkling wine would be a great choice to pair with heavy fried dishes.

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Dumplings and Pinot Noir

Dumplings are a Chinese dining staple that can leave its juicy, delicious flavors alluring. The steamed dish is light and soft textured and is highlighted with simple flavors from the fillings. The minced meat or finely chopped vegetables can be combined gracefully with a light-bodied drink such as a Pinot Noir. The sweetness will compliment the flavors of the dumplings well and being a flexible drink it can extend its compatibility with the rest of the dishes too.

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Dim Sum and Sparkling wine

Deep fried foods or dim sum particularly look for a refreshing pair that balances the heavy body of the meal. Also, a touch of sweetness carves its own niche when paired well with delicious delicacies such as Dim Sum in a lovely way. A simple choice of Malbec rose would be a fresh pairing choice to go with deep-fried food. The closest you can get to this amazing food pairing is with the bird dog whiskey which is matching the heavy meal with some heavy booze.

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Spicy food and Torrontes

The secret to enjoying spicy food lies within balancing the key factor called acidity. Some mouth-watering dishes from the Chinese cuisine also have some tongue numbing spice such as in soups, meat etc. And the best pair of wine to go with the outstanding, flavorsome dishes would be Torrontes. Acidic wines help cope with the flavors well and balance out the spice better. This way you can experience the inner flavors of the dish better.

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Bakkwa and Bordeaux Rose

Bakkwa and Johnny Walker Black are considered a match made in heaven given how it tastefully balances the sweetness from the dish with its smoky and spicy notes. But when it comes to wine Bordeaux Rose would be the perfect choice to pair with this salty and sweet meat. The savory notes of Mezcal also match well with the meaty deliciousness of this dish that will make your meal even more special.

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General rules of pairing with Chinese food

Steamed seafood: Dry Rieslings, Champagne, and White Burgundy are the best choices to pair with steamed seafood as they balance out the delicate flavors from the dish with its fruity flavors.

Spicy noodles: Considered a sign of longevity, enjoying soft noodles during your dinner with notes of spice can be paired well with Viognier.

Gingery Dishes: When it comes to crabs or lobsters brimming with a flavor of ginger the best way to balance the spice from it is to choose varieties such as Rose or Gewürztraminer.

Fiery Szechuan: A touch of sweetness from Alsace Pinot Gris could be the magic some fiery Szechuan cuisine needs to balance and treat your palette.

Black bean Sauce: A velvety, smooth texture pairs well with Black bean sauce such as a fruity touch of Zinfandel.

Bordeaux for everything: If you do not want to carefully select a bottle and want something that is more neutral and goes with all then Bordeaux is the bottle of choice. It has a rich variety and diverse palette that makes it a go-to wine for every occasion and every cuisine.

These wine pairings should make your New Year’s more special and definitely delicious.

Sources:

• https://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/news/recent/pairing-wine-with-chinese-cuisine/
• https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/get-into-festive-spirits
• https://quercusvino.ca/2016/02/04/chinese-new-year-wine-pairings/
• https://www.buro247.sg/lifestyle/food-and-drink/how-to-pair-wine-asian-cuisine-chinese-new-year.html
• http://www.handpickedwines.com.au/blog/lucky-food-and-wine-pairing-for-the-lunar-new-year/
• https://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/news/pairings/6-versatile-wine-pairings-for-a-chinese-new-year-feast/

Author’s Bio:

Rebecca is a student and a blogger who loves to write on different verticals such as F&B, health, and fitness. She holds special interest and expertise in food and drinks pairing. She loves to go out on wine tasting functions with her close buddies. Her hobbies include traveling and reading

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