As far as white wines go, I've never really had problems pairing wine with Chinese cuisine, specifically, Cantonese, given the many seafood-based dishes in the cuisine's repertoire.

When it comes to reds, though, I've never been successful myself – and have never experienced such a pairing that I would call truly successful (i.e., one I would care to take even little pain or effort to relive). The best I've been able to achieve is, in our local dialect, "puede na", or, in Spanish, "se puede pasar" or "asi asi". In English - best I can come up with is: "So-so" or "It will do" - never a pairing that is eye-opening or one that worth actually specifically going for.

Unfortunately, today was more of the same: white-wise, it was fine; but, red-wise, still nothing what I could call successful.

Today, lunch, at the Taipan, the Chinese restaurant of the Tower Club (with the impeccably British Robert Burroughes and fellow EO members Walden Chu, Geoffrey Lim and Jay Sy), to go with assorted steamed scallop, prawn-based dumplings and some deep-fried taro puffs stuffed with prawn; steamed garupa in a very light soy-based sauce topped with scallions; and, a dish of lightly cooked bok choy, oyster mushrooms and white fungus:

Michel Arnould Verzenay Brut Reserve Champagne NV – which I have very recently posted on:

 Quote:
This bright, clear, lightly golden dry champagne has a mildly toasty nose and is distinguished by mid-palate fullness, generous heft and density that approaches/is reminiscent of non-vintage Krug. There is also a most intriguing milk-chocolatiness to the back and the finish. Bright acidity (absolutely no tartness though) keeps one from getting bored with it, while its heft and fullness make a definite statement for cocktails - unlike many other NVs that one quaffs, pays little mind to and easily forgets about once seated for dinner proper.


A nice, bright match to the steamed prawn and scallop dumplings, its bracing acidity and dryness cleansing/refreshing the palate between bites and its effervescence lending an added liveliness to the seafood’s texture.

1997 Riesling Comtes d'Eguisheim by Domaine Léon Beyer – also subject of a previous post:

 Quote:
In the hallmark, dry Beyer style, this was an entrancingly understated wine with flavors of mild lemon drop and peach, white minerals, honeysuckle, discreet citrus and an elegant petrol breath to the back and finish. Nicely broad mid-mouth, excellent balance. I had read notes in another site that stated that the wine was way past its prime and all the fruit had gone. That was, in all likelihood, a bad bottle. What I had was excellent.

Playing with the wine, sucking in some air while the wine was mid-mouth enhanced the wine, releasing more of the honeysuckle and vaguely truffled petrol notes.


I was drinking this wine only with the steamed dim sum and garupa, which I think was a decent match – though it certainly won't keep one up at night, the petrol notes somewhat becoming confused/muddled with the garupa’s soy sauce.

Walden, thankfully, thought of pairing this wine with the deep-fried prawn-stuffed taro puff. This dish was served with a sweetish, viscous red sauce, by the way. When Walden piped up, saying that this dish went very well with the riesling, I was a bit surprised and asked if he used the sauce (I thought the sweetish sauce would clash). He said he did.

We immediately followed suit, and, lo and behold, the match of the day was discovered. I never would have expected such a fine pairing – somehow, the taro’s mild earthiness was lifted beautifully by the wine and the latter’s petrol notes seemed to tie-in/blend seamlessly and, together with the dish’s flavors, broaden generously mid-mouth and to the back. At the same time, once swallowed, my palate felt instantly refreshed, eager for the next bite. I was absolutely amazed. Great call, Walden.

2004 Pouilly-Fuissé “Terroir” by Roger Luquet – an unoaked 100% chardonnay with a delicate touch of leesy-mildly tangy vanilla to its sleek, barely medium-body. Well defined, fairly focused, nicely dry, pleasantly rounded with a mere hint of tropicality to its fruit only towards the back of the mouth.. A good Pouilly-Fuissé that went well with the delicate garupa and steamed dim sum.

To go with dishes of Peking duck (2 ways) and a dish of stir-fried beef tenderloin with black pepper:

2002 Nuits St Georges 1er Cru "Boudots" by Dominique Mugneret – Robert noted an atypical “tar” flavor to this hefty, masculine red Burg. I agreed and noted that its relatively heavy black fruit dominated earthiness and none-too-delicate structure and rustic character reminded me more of a Côte de Beaune red than a Côte de Nuits.

Let’s move it along people, nothing special to see here….

1996 Château Haut Bailly – this needed some material breathing time to become interesting (I’d say 30-45 minutes of aeration). It displayed decent, gravelly/graphite laced earthy black fruit with a slight touch of red fruit surfacing slightly past mid-palate. More than decent Pessac-Leognan, but, then, I am admittedly biased towards this château, considering it a consistently typical, reliable Graves that is priced below its performance.

Unfortunately, however, we all agreed that neither of these wines found any real connection with the Peking duck or beef dishes. I wouldn’t say they clashed, but there was no chemistry at all between the wine and food.

I did consider an Aussie shiraz, and, even a zinfandel, thinking that perhaps a touch more of sweetness and more generous fruit may have made a better match. However, being Franco-obsessed that I am, I stubbornly forced the issue anew.

So, again, nice pairings with whites with the seafood-based dishes, no surprise or challenge there – and, yet again, another less-than-successful attempt at pairing with reds.

I’m not, at this point, certain I shall re-attempt this red pairing in the near future. For the time being, I’ll stick to Tsing Tao.
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