Ever tasted red wine with raw oysters?
If you have, you are likely to have
experienced some kind of strange,
unwelcoming bitter-salty-tannic taste
reminiscent of a cheap Bulgarian
mouthwash!

It’s a fatal match. The iodine in seafood in
general and shellfish in particular clashes
with the fruit and tannin of red wines.
White wine is the way to go in that case
with, for example, a sharp and mineral
Chablis from Burgundy or a crisp and
zesty Italian Pinot Griggio.

Pairing wine with food is an art, not a
science, but how does one know which
wine will complement which dish? When
I worked at the Four Seasons Hotel
in Los Angeles in the late ’80s, I remember regulars like the Rolling Stones
often ordering pizzas with Dom Perignon Champagne from room service. That’s
not fatal for the palate, just for the wallet!

Literally millions of wine and food pairings are possible and it is really almost
impossible to go completely wrong, you just need to observe a few guidelines.
The ultimate judge of your matchmaking talent, your palate, is infallible.

Of course, there are some atrocities which good taste forbids, like an
Australian Shiraz with smoked salmon, a Chateau Margaux with a melon or a
vintage Port with a cold lobster mayonnaise; these are punishments you’ll
remember for the rest of your life if you dare to try them. (Hannibal Lecter ate
one of his victim’s liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti., but this
combination is difficult to evaluate)

What to look for
The most important element in a wine to be presented with food is not its color
but rather its weight (body) and temperature. As a general rule of tastes, rich
goes with rich and light goes with light, regardless of the color of the wine.

High alcohol wines will not do so well with spicy foods because they will
magnify the hot sensation on the palate and clash with the spices present in
the food. This brings us to an interesting challenge: matching wine with Asian
food. The trick here is to work with wines that emphasize balance, as opposed
to power, such as classic “power” wines like Chardonnay or Cabernet
Sauvignon. Let’s explore…

Japanese
Japanese food involves ingredients like sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce,
ginger, chives, wasabi, mirin, diakon, miso and tofu, and lots of raw fish
and seafood (sushi, sashimi). Poultry, meat and fish are grilled, fried or boiled.
White wine is your best bet here and the variety you choose will depend on
the type of food and seasoning at the end of your chopsticks. New Zealand,
Australian, American or French Sauvignon Blanc, which are not too dominant
and have high acidity, are a good choice for lighter Japanese fare. White wines
with a bit of residual sugar, like a German Riesling Spatlese or a fragrant,
semi-sweet French Vouvray from the Loire Valley, should make a good match
for dishes with a hint of sweetness and heat.

Chinese
China is a big country with many regional cuisines: Beijing, Shanghai,
Szechuan, Cantonese, Hokkien and more. Dishes are mostly fish, seafood,
pork, beef and game, which are mostly braised, stir-fried or boiled. The taste
can be sweet or sweet and sour (Beijing), rich and highly flavored (Shanghai),
delicate and subtle (Cantonese) or spicy (Szechuan). Here, to boldly cover it
all, I recommend two red wines from France, a chilled lively Brouilly from
Beaujolais or a chilled low-tannin Saumur-Chamgigny from the Loire Valley.
Gutsy?

Well, the pairing virtues of varietals like Gamay (from Beaujolais) or Cabernet
Franc (from Loire Valley), when served chilled, are such that they will prove a
formidable combination with Chinese food from any region.

Thai
Thai cuisine is without a doubt one of the most interesting of Asia. Coriander,
turmeric, shallots, garlic, coconut milk, paprika, lemon, lemongrass and shrimp
paste present a festival of flavors which grab you like a sunset over Koh Samui.
Mainly spicy, Thai food offers an unbelievable array of versatile culinary delights.
Avoid sweeter wines here. A white wine, such as an off-dry, fruity, floral French
Riesling from Alsace; a rosé, like a spicy and robust Tavel from Rhone in
France, a bubbly like a medium-bodied Champagne rosé, or a slightly off-dry
sparkling from California or Chile.

Sparkling wines, regardless of their country of origin and color, tend to work
very well with Thai food by cutting through the spiciness and soothing the
palate.

Indonesian
Generally speaking, Indonesian food is not hot, it’s the spices and sauces
served on the side that are fiery. In this large country of nearly 18, 000 islands
there are plenty of different cuisines using a lot of the same ingredients: pepper,
cloves, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, chilies, coconut milk, peanuts and shrimp
paste. Chicken, fish, eggs, rice and noodles are predominant in these
bittersweet regional cuisines and tend to be a bit greasy at times. Here, it’s
better to remain “sweet” in the wine department: an easygoing semi-sweet
California White Zinfandel, an off-dry and mellow German Riesling Kabinett
or an aromatically rich and sweet French Rosé d’Anjou from the Loire Valley.

Anyway, whatever your wine choice is for Asian food, keep it fun and
adventurous – and remember the Rolling Stones!

Christian Vanneque was head sommelier of La Tour d’Argent in Paris and
professor at L’Academie du Vin in Paris. He served as a judge at the
legendary 1976 and 2006 Paris Wine Tasting.
Contact: Christian@TheWineCircus.com

Home

What to look for The most important element in a wine to be presented with food is not its color but rather its weight (body) and temperature. As a general rule of tastes, rich goes with rich and light goes with light, regardless of the color of the wine.

What to look for
The most important element in a wine to be presented with food is not its color
but rather its weight (body) and temperature. As a general rule of tastes, rich
goes with rich and light goes with light, regardless of the color of the wine.