In the US, Chinese food has evolved from being a novelty ethnic food to a virtual staple of the American diet. Nowadays Chinese cuisine permeates the restaurant landscape with a presence ranging from the local shopping mall food court to upscale (almost) fine dining. With this seemingly ubiquitous presence in mind, IntoWine.com asked its panel of wine experts to suggest the best wine to pair with chinese food:
OK, if I’m not allowed to recommend Tsingtao beer, wine it will have to be. Naturally, Chinese wine makes most sense and, guess what, it is now available in the US. Although I recommend Riesling, believe it or not, in China, the Chinese drink almost exclusively red wine with their food. Dragon’s Hollow Cabernet Sauvignon is ideal for Chinese food. The wine is picked early, not only does this result in a nice low alcohol which makes any wine more food friendly but it is less opulent in fruit. Opulent fruit and Chinese food don’t sound right. Buy Dragon's Hollow WinesDragon’s Hollow Cabernet Sauvignon has an appropriate amount of green bell pepper character which makes it match a large variety of Chinese dishes. The low alcohol [though it states 12.5% on the label, it is actually lower than that], makes it even more versatile. Well, ok, if you want to stick with a white wine, Dragon’s Hollow also produces a wonderful dry Riesling. - Bartholomew Broadbent, CEO, Broadbent Selections, San Francisco
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Buy Taltarni Brut Rose "Tache"My hands down favorite wine to pair with Chinese Food is sparkling wine and champagne. Why? Like Pizza, or Mexican food, these types of dishes often exhibit a wide range of spiciness, sweetness or textures. A high alcohol wine will clash with your spicy Szechuan chicken. A red wine will make your green beans and tofu taste like metal. Enter sparking wine. With lower alcohol, (usually around 12.5%) and little to no oak influence, it is the ideal candidate to pair with Chinese cuisine. I particularly enjoy rose sparkling wines as they often display no oak influence and provide a juicy bit of fruit that compliments most flavors. And, like beer, the fizz in a glass of bubbles is so refreshing, it cleanses and prepares your palate for the next bite! My current favorite bubblies are the NV Taltarni Brut Rosé "Tache" $19.99 (Victoria/Tasmania, Australia) and the NV Jean-Francois Merieau "Bulles" Touraine Sparkling $15.99 (Loire Valley, France). - Mulan Chan, Rhône and French Regional Buyer, K&L Wine Merchants
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Buy Vinoptima GewurztraminerGewurztraminer. Specifically the 2004 Vinoptima Gewurztraminer. So you’re craving a little Chinese food. And you’re looking for the right wine. We’re not talking about a wine that could conceivably-maybe taste like it goes well with the food, but a wine that mimics and enhances the spiciness of the cuisine of the Asian continent. Well, here you have it – a New Zealand “Geh-vur-tzz”. The VinOptima is hand-made and focused. The proprietors of this unique project have been dedicated to nothing less than the perfection of this variety. It’s true, there are much cheaper versions of Gewurztraminer from other regions and other producers but none of them are as precisely and perfectly a match for every style of Chinese food. Splurge. (About $95).- – Ben Spencer is a diploma student with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and an IntoWine Featured Writer.
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Buy Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-SecChinese food is one of my exceptions to pairing a local wine to the local cuisine. I have not yet had a wine from China that I thought matched well to Chinese food (or really any others for now). I tend to like my food spicy. To match that, I prefer a wine that is served cold with a touch of sweetness. My first inclination was to recommend a German Riesling. While that would not be a bad choice, one of my favorite matches with Chinese food has been with a semi-sweet Chenin Blanc from the Loire valley in France. I would recommend the Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec. To me, this is most mineral driven of the Vouvrays from Huet, probably the greatest producer of Chenin Blanc on the planet. It is available dry (Sec) or Semi-dry (Demi-Sec). The 2005 vintage is amazing and still available although I would gladly drink the 2004 or 2006’s. Not the cheapest white wine, it will cost around $35 but is really world class quality. The sweetness offsets the heat. The minerality and acid accentuates the layering of flavors in the food. It is a natural combination. - Loren Sonkin, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder/Winemaker at Sonkin Cellars.
People love lists; they can be a great source of education and discussion. But making a list such as this is not an easy process. Who are the most influential wine people in the U.S., and how exactly do you define ‘influential?’ Does influential mean people who move markets, impact consumers, inspire winemakers, and create debate? In a word, yes. These 100 people, from winemakers to law makers, bankers to bloggers, and sommeliers to celebrities are definitely people who influence wine; how it is made, marketed, perceived, sold, shipped, purchased and shared.
There is currently a raging debate as to the validity of what an “influencer” is. Who are the most influential wine people in the United States, and how exactly do you define ‘influential?’ Does an influential mean a person who moves markets, impacts consumers, inspires winemakers, forms policy,...
Our 2013 iteration of this list is intended as a source of education and discussion. The making of this list is never an easy process. Who are the most influential wine people in the United States, and how exactly do you define ‘influential?’ Does influential mean people who move markets, impact consumers, inspire winemakers, form policy, and create debate? Yes. Though some decry the consolidation of the wine industry (and that is an issue worth considering) we are not trying to suggest who is “good” or “bad” within America’s wine industry. We merely define the Top 100 people, from winemakers to law makers, bankers to bloggers, and sommeliers to celebrities who influence wine; how it is made, marketed, perceived, sold, shipped, purchased, shared and consumed. As was true in 2012, we sought help to assemble this list people from a diverse group of people and we are grateful for their input. And we chose to release it today, January 29th, as it was on this day in 1919 when the pathetic policy of Prohibition was ratified; the effects of this lunatic legislation still evident in our country’s inability to ship and sell wine across state lines. We honor winemakers, wine drinkers and wine lovers of every conceivable demographic. Use this list, comment on it, share it with everyone, learn from it, and continue your joy of being IntoWine.
Ah the ubiquitous list. Everywhere you turn these days there is a top 10, the best 50, or some iteration of a who’s who list. So we can’t resist, besides, our Top 100 Most Influential Wine Industry list scored a lot of buzz, created a lot of chatter and even made a few enemies. This list is all about winemakers, those currently making wine here in America – not the great ones who have come before, but folks who make wines you can find now. There are some 7,000 bonded wineries in the U.S., and there’s a lot of forgettable wine being made. And in a world of homogenization of wine styles and a sense that our domestic wine industry is not legitimate without a French or Italian flare, we desire to promote regional flavor profiles of all American wine craftspeople. There are names here you’ll know and recognize, and names you never heard of but everyone on this list is influencing the public, fellow winemakers and the media in large and small ways. Use this list to learn about wines, varieties and regions you may not have considered; comment on it, share it with everyone, but above all continue your joy of being IntoWine.
BEST OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH NAPA TASTING ROOMS After having visited numerous renowned wineries, many of us are looking for the hidden gems within the Napa Valley. Good wines are certainly valued, but the entire experience a winery provides leaves guests wanting to return and telling their friends and family to visit. Each winery listed in this article has some special draw, whether it’s art, architecture, ambiance, gardens or compelling history.
