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Chinese Food, Wine And The Perfect Pairing
Chinese food and German Riesling wine is a wonderful pairing.Selecting the right wine for Chinese food and even Thai cuisine requires identifying the dominanttaste (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) sensation of a dish. The dominant taste sensations are sour (ricevinegar), sweet (sugar, coconut milk) and salt (soy).When it comes to German Riesling and Chinese food, sensory scientists have shown that thedifferent taste qualities – sweet, sour, salty, bitter - inhibit or suppress one another. In the domainof wine and food, we say they balance or compliment one another.For example, sour (acidity) and sweet suppress one another; adding sugar to lemon juicereduces the tartness; the level of acidity or sourness has not changed but the presence of sugar changes how we perceive it. It is the Riesling grape’s ability to develop high sugar levels whilemaintaining acidity that produces white wines that age very well and compliment Chinese food aswell. Riesling wine is produced from dry to very sweet; the sweetness level of a Kabinett or Spatlese counterbalances the Chinese food’s salt and sour.
German Riesling wine is not only good at quelling the heat of chilies but it is a perfectwine for Thai and Chinese cuisine.
The conventional wisdom of pairing Gewurztraminer wine and Chinese food with highly spicedSzechuan dishes works except that Gewurztraminer’s higher alcohol levels (13-14%) kick up theburn a bit.Gewurztraminer literally means "spice grapes". The California variant has a "spicy-peach" flavor along with a hint of ginger. Other possible choices in the pairing of Chinese food and wine are aFrench Pouily Fuisse or a Sauvignon Blanc.Cantonese, China's "haute cuisine", dishes are much more subtly seasoned. For this Chinesefood and wine pairing try a sweet fruity German Riesling Kabinett or Spatlese, and you will enjoywonderful results. Meanwhile, a red Bordeaux wine pairing with Chinese food is particularlyappropriate for Shanghai cuisine which tends to be quite rich so the tannin in the wine plays wellagainst the fat content of the meat.A Merlot from Pomerol or St. Emilion and Chinese food pairing compliments well with Pekingcuisine, which often features heavier meats such as duck and beef. So does a red Burgundywhich is made from Pinot Noir.Dishes with fruit such as bananas, mangoes and peaches, pair well with Pinot Noir, Riesling andMerlot. Sherry or tawny Port goes well with dishes that include generous amounts of almonds or peanuts.Duck and smoked ham go well with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Petite Sirah or Zinfandel wines compliment foods customarily forward with fruit and spice, liberally lacedwith Szechuan peppercorns, chili peppers, wasabi, mustard or curry.Chinese cuisine consists of varied dishes, some notably sweet, some spicy, others fruity or smoky or delicate. There will likely be chicken, lobster, pork and duck.
When it comes to Chinese food and wine selection, no one wine will accommodate a vastrange of flavors and textures.
There are a few wines that will work well paired with Chinese food. They are a medium-dry tolightly sweet Riesling, a Chardonnay, not too oaky, not too dry, and a mild, full-bodied Merlot with
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harryo

Riesling wine is a favorite. Never tried it with Thai(bought in supermarket now) and chinese. Will give it a go. Recently had Sake at Chinese restaurant, it was good.

reply03 / 11 / 2008
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