  |
|
|
|
Wine to Serve w/ Spicy Asian MealsDry Rieslings, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnays, Zinfandels Complement Curries, Sushi, Tempura and more from China, Japan, and Thailand
Wine pairing suggestions for foods from China, Japan, and
southeast Asia.
While wine made from grapes has been a staple of European cuisine for centuries, it has been curiously absent from the cuisines of Asia. The worldwide viticultural belt lies roughly between 30° - 50° north and south latitude, encompassing much of the U.S.A., central and southern Europe, most of the middle east, China and Japan; the southern belt includes only portions of Chile and Argentina, the southern tip of Africa, south Australia and New Zealand. So why don't we see wine from China, Japan, or the middle east? The middle east has pulled up its stake in wine for religious reasons, despite the fact that winemaking originated there. Many of us who enjoy a glass of Syrah or Shiraz may be unaware that the grape is named for its place of supposed origin, Shiraz in Iran. Chinese food is traditionally associated with tea, Japanese food with sake. But are these really the preferred beverages to accompany oriental cuisines? Not according to the Chinese, who have been making wine for more than 2,000 years. Their idea of what wine should be differs just a little from ours, but Western tastes are slowly transforming Chinese habits, particularly in urban areas. Today there are more than 100 wineries operating in China, some in partnership with European companies such as Remy-Martin. Their products are not yet competitive with European or American wines, since a 750ml bottle of beer currently sets you back around 60 cents and the notion of spending more than a dollar or two on a bottle of wine is still considered extravagant to most Chinese consumers. The Japanese seem to be more willing to adopt Western wine styles and there are at least 20 wineries we know of operating in Japan. And why not? Japan is situated at the same latitude as the heart of California's wine regions And so we return to the heart of the issue of selecting wines to accompany Asian foods. Asian cuisines are characterized by two qualities that tend to set them apart from the cuisines of Europe and America. Some are often very delicate in flavor; others are quite spicy. For vegetable based stir-fried dishes, we like to drink dry Rieslings such as the excellent and inexpensive example from
>Claiborne & Churchill For dishes with a little more body, such as pork or chicken based dishes and many southeast Asian foods, you may find a happy pairing with a Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio such as the wonderfully delicious
> Vittoria We think a dry Viognier provides a perfect accompaniment to all kinds of sushi and even tempura. When it comes to spicy dishes, look for white wines with a touch of fruity sweetness or fruity red wines low in tannin. Since foods of this type are often complex and peppery, look for straightforward, simple wines rather than wines with a great deal of character. With creamy Thai curries we like full-bodied Chardonnays, particularly those with several years of bottle age. The richness of Chardonnay marries will with these foods and the slightly sweet finish offsets the harshness of peppery curries. We experimented with Fish in Red Curry accompanied by
>Per Bacco Cellars Zinfandel leads the pack of red wines that work best with bolder Asian dishes. We like Zins with moderate alcohol levels (below 14%) and medium body, rather than the "monster" Zins with alcohol levels approaching Port. The trend over the past several years has been towards richer, more full-bodied Zins with high alcohol. Most of California's single vineyard bottlings are likely to follow this model. We love these wines, but find them awkward with many foods. Strong cheeses and chocolate are more appropriate. So look for less expensive Zins with broader appellations, such as Napa Valley or Sonoma County. Classic Zinfandel producers are Rosenblum, Ridge, Ravenswood, and Seghesio. You can find more detailed recommendations in our article, Central Coast Zinfandel Focuses on Style. To read about a professional sommelier's choices for a six course Japanese dinner, see Jacqueline Church's article on Kaiseki: Boston-style. June Chua has an excellent article on Hakka-Indian cuisine that is well worth reading.
The copyright of the article Wine to Serve w/ Spicy Asian Meals in New World Wine is owned by Alan Boehmer. Permission to republish Wine to Serve w/ Spicy Asian Meals in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
