Pairings | Szechuan

Top pairings for dry and off-dry Alsace whites

Posted by Fiona Beckett on April 15 2014 at 07:53

On a recent visit to Alsace, I had the pleasure of rediscovering the region’s diverse wine offerings, from crisp Rieslings to Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris. What struck me during this trip was how integral sweetness is to perfecting a food and wine pairing—a nuance that can vary greatly between a youthful bottle and a more aged vintage.

In Alsace, we focused on traditional local Alsatian cuisine, because I always prefer to eat local when I visit a wine region. This region’s wines, particularly the off-dry varieties, are famously well-suited to spicy dishes—a testament to Alsace’s global culinary influence. While the French may not always excel at Asian cuisine, Alsace wines undoubtedly do. They shine brightest when paired with bold, flavourful dishes, and I’m convinced they have untapped potential with Scandinavian fare as well.

Intriguingly, a new sweetness indicator is appearing on the back labels of many Alsace wines, offering a helpful guide to their style—an invaluable tool for any wine enthusiast looking to enhance their dining experience. But to truly appreciate these wines, one must delve deeper into the unique pairings they complement. Let’s explore some of the top pairings that make Alsace wines truly unforgettable.

Top Pairings for Alsace Riesling

Riesling is my favorite Alsace wine. While Gewürztraminer has its charm, Riesling’s versatility, especially in its drier forms, makes it a standout. Here are some of the best pairings:

In Alsace:

Creamy sauces with fish: Particularly with zander, plaice, or sole, where a dry Riesling cuts through the richness.
Choucroute: A traditional Alsace dish that pairs beautifully with both dry and off-dry Rieslings.

Other Great Matches:

Scandinavian seafood dishes and smorgasbord: Dry or off-dry Riesling complements the delicate flavours.
Japanese seafood dishes: Especially sashimi and sushi, where dry Riesling’s acidity enhances the freshness.
Raw seafood: Think fish tartares, carpaccios, and ceviches—dry Riesling is the perfect match.
Asian-inspired seafood: Oysters with an Asian twist, seafood cocktails, lighter Thai dishes like crab cakes and salads are all lifted by an off-dry Riesling.
Fish dishes in general: Fish terrines, simply cooked sea bass, and seafood salads all suit a drink Riesling.
Dry spiced chicken dishes: For example, chicken tikka and tandoor chicken are both ideal with an off-dry Riesling.

Top Pairings for Riesling Blends

One of the styles I was most impressed by on the trip, particularly Domaine Pfister’s Cuvée 8 (Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürz and Muscat) and Marc Kreydenweiss’s Clos du Val d’Eleon a 50/50 blend of Riesling and Pinot Gris. By and large I’d follow the pairing suggestions for dry to off-dry Riesling rather than those for Pinot Gris or Gewürz. Riesling blends, such as Domaine Pfister’s Cuvée 8, are equally impressive. These blends often include Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Muscat, creating a symphony of flavours. Follow the pairing guidelines for dry to off-dry Riesling, keeping in mind the additional depth the blends offer.

Top Pairings for Alsace Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris from Alsace can be a bit of a wildcard—sometimes dry, sometimes rich and verging on sweet. Here’s what I recommend:

In Alsace:

White meats in creamy sauces: Especially when mushrooms are involved, a dry Pinot Gris is sublime.
Hot pâté en croûte: A brilliant match we enjoyed with an older Pinot Gris at Leon Boesch.

Other Great Matches:

Smokey foods or sauces: Pinot Gris handles these with ease, particularly when off-dry.
Richer fish like monkfish and salmon: Both dry and off-dry styles work well.
Thai curries with coconut: The off-dry Pinot Gris balances the spice and creaminess perfectly.

Top Pairings for Alsace Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is almost synonymous with spicy cuisine, particularly Chinese and Indian dishes. However, it’s important to choose the right dishes to avoid overwhelming the palate.

In Alsace:

Foie gras: The off-dry Gewürztraminer is a classic, luxurious pairing.
Munster cheese: Another regional specialty that matches well with both dry and off-dry versions.

Other Great Matches:

Washed rind cheeses: Like Epoisses or Maroilles, which pair beautifully with dry or off-dry Gewürz.
Szechuan and Korean dishes: The spicier, the better—Gewürztraminer’s sweetness cools the heat.
Apple desserts: Off-dry Gewürz works wonderfully with apple crumble or strudel, enhancing the cinnamon and fruit flavours.

Best Pairings for Alsace Pinot Blanc

Often overlooked, Pinot Blanc is a versatile and underrated wine from Alsace. It’s an excellent all-rounder, particularly with light, simple dishes.

In Alsace:

Onion tart or Tarte flambée: Both are classic Alsace dishes that pair effortlessly with Pinot Blanc.
Quiche Lorraine: A perfect match, especially with a creamy filling.

Other Good Matches:

Risottos and pastas: Especially those with creamy sauces or spring vegetables.
Simple seafood dishes: Fish pie or fishcakes are enhanced by the smoothness of Pinot Blanc.

Best Pairings for Alsace Sylvaner

Many of the dishes that go with a dry to off-dry riesling will go with a dry Sylvaner though it generally doesn’t have Riesling’s purity and minerality. Again it’s regarded as an inexpensive wine in Alsace though the best examples e.g. from Ostertag really show the grape’s potential.

In Alsace:

A winstub (wine bar) wine drunk with light snacks such as salads, cold meats and tarte flambée

Other Good Matches:

You could drink it with similar dishes to a dry Riesling. It’s a good match for Westernised versions of dishes like stir fries or noodles that have an Asian influence but are not particularly spicy or authentic.

Best Pairings for Alsace Muscat

Alsace Muscat is aromatic and fresh, but not as versatile as Gewürztraminer. It’s best enjoyed as an aperitif or with a few select dishes.

In Alsace:

White asparagus: Served with a buttery sauce or smoked ham, an off-dry Muscat shines.
Smoked cheeses: Another excellent match for the off-dry style.

Other Good Matches:

Fresh fruit salads: Particularly those featuring tropical fruits, where Muscat’s fruitiness complements the flavours.

If you have other favourite matches do leave a comment!

Image credit: Alberta Studios

Tags: Riesling blends mango vendange tardive grand cru Alsace blends cinnamon late-harvest apple crumble apple streudel Alsace Muscat Sylvaner Pinot Blanc Riesling Gewürztraminer drink:white wine smoked ham fruit salad fresh fruit tropical fruit tropical fruit salad smoked cheese stir fry charcuterie asparagus tartiflette frittata fish cakes pasta with creamy sauce fish pie risotto ham and cheese salad quiche Lorraine tarte flambé onion tart duck goose Stinking Bishop Maroilles washed rind cheese laksa lobster Epoisses Munster cheese Szechuan Rogan Josh rogan josh Chinese cuisine Korean cuisine guinea fowl pigeon game gravadlax game pâté monkfish scallops foie gras mushrooms pâté en croûte charcuterie veal in creamy sauce chicken in creamy sauce veal food:beef & lamb Thai cuisine Japanese cuisine Chinese cuisine Indian cuisine Vietnamese cuisine food:world food citrus apple fish tacos crab cakes pad thai dim sum tandoori tandoori chicken korma chicken tikka curry curries pork belly food:pork goats cheese seabass onion tart sea bass fish terrine eel salmon smoked eel smoked fish smoked salmon seafood cocktail seafood salad crab oysters ceviche carpaccio tartare sashimi sushi fish in creamy sauce smorgasbord creamy sauces sole plaice zander choucroute food:veg & salads food:chicken & poultry food:fruit food:fish & shellfish rogan josh
Add a comment

Which wines and beers match best with Chinese food

Posted by Fiona Beckett on February 15 2007 at 09:47

With Chinese New Year coming up this weekend you may be planning a trip to a Chinese restaurant or planning a Chinese meal at home. But which wine to serve?

I’ve talked to Chinese chefs and food writers about their own personal preferences and you’d be surprised how many of them reach for a full bodied red rather than the floral whites that are usually recommended. My own personal failsafe recommendation if you want to pick just one wine is a fruity rosé - the Merlot based ones from Bordeaux such as Château de Sours are perfect.

Better still treat a Chinese meal like any Western meal and serve a lighter wine with the lighter dishes and a more robust one with more robust dishes such as glazed ribs or dishes in black bean sauce

Delicate dishes such as dim sum and steamed or stir-fried vegetable dishes

Champagne or sparkling wine is the ideal answer with dim sum - both the steamed and deep fried variety, especially when stuffed with shellfish. It also goes well with lighter stir fries and steamed fish and vegetable and with the more delicate flavours of Cantonese food.

A clean minerally citrussy Sauvignon Blanc (rather than a grassy, herbaceous one is also a good match with seafood - just as it is in other cuisines - and dry Rieslings such as those from Germany, Austria and Alsace work well with these kinds of dishes too.

Sweet-sour dishes

This is where off-dry wines score best and why fruity rosé works so well. Even those who don’t like White Zinfandel concede that it’s in its natural element with these types of dishes. Aromatic whites such as Riesling, Pinot Gris and Austrian Grüner Veltliner are good matches as is Argentinian Torrontes. And if you’re feeling extravagant ‘rich’ Champagnes like Roederer’s and Veuve Clicquot’s also handle sweetness well.

Duck

The wine-friendliest dish of all in the Chinese repertoire, fabulous with lighter reds such as Beaujolais (or the very similar Australian Tarrango) and Pinot Noir as well as more intensely flavoured Merlots (including Merlot-dominated blends from Bordeaux) and lush Australian Shiraz. (The latter two wines benefit from a couple of years of bottle age to mellow the tannins)

Duck is also in my view the best partner for Gewürztraminer which can overwhelm some of the more delicate elements of a typical Chinese meal.

Powerful dishes with sticky sauces

Such as glazed ribs or crab in black bean sauce. Here fruity reds again come into play. When leading Chinese Food writer Ken Hom introduced a range of varietal wines to go with Chinese food a couple of years ago he picked a Mourvèdre and a Grenache, both big wines but without excessive tannins. Ripe fruity reds certainly tend to deal best with the hotter, spicier dishes like Szechuan beef

If you prefer a white wine consultant and MW Peter McCombie who has worked with a number of oriental restaurants favours rich waxy Pinot Gris from Alsace, Oregon or New Zealand which he has found works with tricky-to-match customers such as eel and black beans. He put together the list at London’s fashionable Bar Shu

Another Chinese restaurant where the wine list is exceptionally well thought out is Hakkasan where buyer Christine Parkinson pairs all the wines she considers with food before she puts them on her list

Which beers match best
I haven’t done as much research on beer as I have on wine with Chinese food but I’ve found that light wheat beers such as witbiers and Bavarian weissbiers generally work well with Chinese-style snacks such as prawn dumplings and spring rolls and can also handle sweet and sour flavours.

Belgian ‘brune’ beers like Leffe Brune are a good match for duck with hoisin sauce. Dishes like glazed ribs or beef in black bean sauce also pair well with brown ales and Belgian triple beers.

And what about tea?
The Chinese drink tea all day long, just as we would drink water says Edward Eisler of specialist importers Jing Tea and that obviously includes meals too. With lighter foods he recommends a green tea like Dragonwell or jasmine tea like Jasmine Silver Needle. Fried or heavier foods go well with aged teas like Puerh while rich and sticky dishes like ribs benefit from a dark high-fired Oolong tea such as Great Red Cloak.

Image credit: Cats Coming