I’ll grant you, when I grab a couple of my favourite dishes from a local Chinese takeout joint, fine wine pairings aren’t usually top of mind. I am usually struck by a certain kind of craving – a desire to indulge in one of my favourite dishes. And for me, many of the best classic (American-) Chinese takeout classics are special for their ability to deliver complex flavours (balancing sweet, salty, sour and spice) and a variety of textures all at remarkably humble prices.
Today I’d like to show you some wines that yes, pair well aromatically and in terms of acidity and sweetness and structure, but that also hit many of those same complex and crave-worthy textures and tastes at every bit as remarkable pricing as the dishes we’d match them up with.
Pairing wines with boldly flavoured foods, like my 6 go-to favourites below, can be a bit tricky. Whether we’re dealing with a bit of heat, sweetness, complexity or flavour intensity, the wrong glass of wine can conflict badly with these elements, or worse yet, spoil an otherwise tasty experience. It was with this in mind that I sat down today to take a look at some basic wine and food pairing guidelines that will help you find a wine that will offering immense drinking pleasure with 6 of the most popular Chinese takeout favourites.
Finally, on a somewhat unrelated – but super tasty – note, for those of you who haven’t tried Mushroom Fortified Dark Soy Sauce before, you are missing out. I recently discovered this ingredient in a recipe I was preparing at home. I had been vaguely aware of the fact that there were lighter and darker soy sauces out there, but had never really explored this product very much. This particular version of dark soy is blessed with huge amounts of umami, and is now a pantry essential around my place. It has dark noodle or rice staining properties, and the flavours and concentration are really quite special.
If you enjoy trying your hand at Chinese (or other east Asian) dishes at home, or just sit back and indulge in the odd bit of Chinese takeout, I’d strongly encourage you to pick up a bottle of Mushroom Fortified Dark Soy soon. (I’m sure there are many terrific – and even superior – brands out there, but here is a link to the one I buy.)
Now onto the pairings…
1. HOT & SOUR SOUP RECIPE
WINE MATCH: GEWURZTRAMINER; ALBARINO FROM SPAIN; OR A DRY AMONTILLADO STYLE SHERRY
2. KUNG PAO SHRIMP RECIPE
WINE MATCH: CHENIN BLANC FROM FRANCE’S LOIRE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA OR SOUTH AFRICA
3. GENERAL TSO CHICKEN RECIPE
WINE MATCH: SLIGHTLY OFF-DRY/KABINETT STYLE GERMAN RIESLING FROM MOSEL OR RHEINGAU
4. SHANGHAI NOODLES RECIPE
WINE MATCH: HERBACEOUS AND ZESTY WHITES LIKE SAUVIGNON BLANC; VERDEJO; OR VINHO VERDE
5. MOO SHU PORK RECIPE
WINE MATCH: LIGHTER REDS LIKE GAMAY OR PINOT NOIR – ESPECIALLY YOUNG BEAUJOLAIS
6. SZECHUAN BEEF RECIPE
WINE MATCH: SPARKLING WINES LIKE PROSECCO, CAVA OR SPUMANTE
Boldly flavoured and complex foods favour wines with concentration, power and complexity in relatively equal measure. Most classic Chinese takeout dishes, like those listed above, tend to pair best with aromatic wines with lower alcohol levels and less oak influence, as opposed to highly extracted, heavily oaked and high alcohol wines. When pairing wines with dishes that have a bit of spice, you’ll want to consider selections with a touch of sweetness, or even sparkling wines, whose texture helps cleanse the palate between bites.
