When we think of pairing, we tend to gravitate towards wine and cheese or brandy and cigars? Boring. Pairings can come in all shapes and sizes and, when done right, elevate both the dish and the drink.
There are so many fantastic partnerships out there, some less expected than others. Just ask unions like Scotch and cheese or beer and food pairings so good they’ve attracted Michelin stars. So what of Chinese food, one of the best and most vast food categories on the planet?
We reached out to Zwann Grays for some wine-pairing advice. She’s the sommelier at Nin Hao, a contemporary Chinese restaurant in NYC. The wine list is full of an excellent cast of producers, stressing female winemakers in particular and labels working hard on their sustainability efforts.
Presently, one of her favorite pairings at the restaurant is crab noodle with Riesling. “I’d like to try it with many versions of Riesling,” she admits. Another, seafood rice and Statera Chardonnay, surprised her with just how well it works. “It is the most straightforward pairing of pairings, but together, the rice and the wine shine,” Grays says. “It reads so basic on paper, but on the palate, it’s a dead ringer of a match—like food and wine pairing 101.”
There are challenges associated with pairing with unique cuisines, of course. For Grays, an obstacle here is dealing with spices. “I am clueless! Mind-bending flavors and spices that I’ve never heard of,” she admits. “Also cooking techniques that I know nothing about. Woking. Ingredients. Techniques. Luckily, wine is also versatile, but I have been very informed by the food first.” She embraces the challenge, knowing that the cuisine offers a whole new breadth of pairing opportunities.
And if you just want a single, flexible wine varietal that can likely keep pace with many Chinese dishes, Grays had a suggestion. “Albariño is so versatile and can come from many regions,” she says. “Spain, of course, has excellent expressions. Fujianese food is also of the water like Spain. Albariño has salinity, minerality, fruit, and body, and you can find it easily anywhere you shop for wine.”
Grays was generous enough to offer up some classic pairing ideas for readers at home.
Seafood pancake and sparkling wine
“I could eat and drink this all day,” says Grays. “This works well because it’s such a treat for the palate. You have oil and savory fried pancake and then a lift with the bubbles I think any sparkling wine will do. It’s one of those pairings like Sauternes and Stilton. A complete match—flavor-wise but also sensory.”
Fujianese steamed whole fish fillet and Albarino or Grenache Blanc
Here’s one that calls for a full-scale dinner party. “I love cooking a whole fish for friends because the presentation is cool and also digging into a whole fish when you don’t know how to fillet it is fun,” Grays says. “Spanish whites lean mineral driven but are also fruity. The have a bit more style than say Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. So here you get stylish lean minerality with more complex fruit notes with a stylish fish. Spanish white wines equals seafood friendly by nature.”
Crab glass noodles and Riesling
“Salty, oceanic decadent crab glass noodles deserve Riesling,” Grays says. “A Troken style comes to mind first, but a Kabinett could be killer. Riesling boasts the ability to be a great many things, but when you get a dry and fruity cuveé, the sky is the limit. Crab is so rich and unctuou,s and so is Riesling, even in its leaner expressions. This pairs very well together. And if the dish is spicy, Riesling provides a cooling effect that keeps you going for the next spicy bite.’
Sizzling pan cumin lamb chop and chill-able red wine
Oh yeah, there’s such a thing as great chilled red wine. Grays knows as much and pairs it up with gamey lamb. “When I think ‘sizzling,’ I think grilled or a hot pan sear, both of which can give off a smoky finish to food which my Texas heart loves,” Grays says. “What better way to wash that down than a chilled light and fresh red wine? The tannins are expressed a bit more when the wine is chilled and provides some grip to the meat and the fruit should provide a nice flavor element. Something dark cherry forward would be excellent.”
Who’s hungry? Now you can approach a wine list at a Chinese restaurant more comfortably or pair up something at home with your favorite takeout.
Check out some of The Manual’s other culinary features, on topics like seafood and wine or takeout and wine. Oh, and the Albriño Grays and we speak so highly of? Read more about the excellent Spanish white wine.
