With Chinese New Year fast approaching, the season of reunion dinners, potluck buffets and tempting snacks is almost upon us!
To make your favourite dishes and titbits even more enjoyable, we sat down with Kate Rowe and Sam Stephens, wine ambassadors from Treasury Wine Estates, for some wine pairing tips!
1) Sea Cucumber with Stuffed Minced Meat
paired with BERINGER FOUNDERS ESTATE CHARDONNAY
$38, available at Cold Storage, Fairprice, Giant, Redmart and Amazon
This Chardonnay is a combination of pear, apple and ripe tropical fruit flavours, with hints of toasted almonds and perfectly complements grilled chicken and seafood with its ripe, clean flavours and lingering finish.
The creamy oak of the Chardonnay balances the creamy texture of the Sea Cucumber and the thick gravy, while the savoury minced pork allows the ripe fruitiness of peach and apricot in the wine to shine through.
2) Fish Maw Soup
a) paired with MAISON DE GRAND ESPIRIT MAGIQUE BURGUNDY
$55, available at all Cold Storage outlets
The approachable nature of this wine makes it an ideal partner when pairing with food. Blended with 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Gamay, the result is a ruby hued, well balanced red wine with hints of red berries, dried flowers and nutmeg.
The earthiness of the mushrooms and the salty umami flavours in the soup matches the crisp fruitiness of the wine.
b) paired with PENFOLDS SPECIAL BOTTLINGS LOT.518 – SPIRITED WINE WITH BAIJIU
$150 only at DFS (travel retail exclusive)
The Penfolds Lot. 518 Spirited Wine with Baijiu was created with the same spirit of curiosity that led Penfolds to break away from conventional winemaking from the beginning, and experiment and innovate to create the unforgettable.
This fortified Shiraz with Baijiu is complex and full-bodied with floral, fruity notes and is best served chilled between 12-14 degrees.
Paired with the Fish Maw Soup, the rich umami flavours highlights the bright spicy fruits in the Lot. 518, while the wine brings out the tinge of spiciness in the soup.
3) Stewed Hokkien Mee Sua
paired with MAISON DE GRAND ESPIRIT CREMANT DE BOURGOGNE
$45 only at DFS (travel retail exclusive)
A beautiful, pale gold, this sparkling wine is a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay and is made according to traditional Champagne producing methods, promising a delicate balancing act of zesty flavours with a clean, crisp creaminess and lingering finish.
By pairing the Cremant with the Mee Sua, the acidity and freshness of the wine cuts the rich fattiness of the noodles without overpowering the aromas of the dish.
4) Lap Mei Fan
paired with PENFOLDS SPECIAL BOTTLINGS LOT.518 – SPIRITED WINE WITH BAIJIU
$150 only at DFS (travel retail exclusive)
The Lap Mei Fan is a complex dish of sweet, smoky and salty flavours which is best paired with the Lot. 518, as the sweetness of the Baijiu helps to balance out the different flavours.
5) Abacus Seeds
paired with MAISON DE GRAND ESPIRIT CREMANT DE BOURGOGNE
$45 only at DFS (travel retail exclusive)
The biscuity notes of the refreshing, sparkling Cremant matches perfectly with the savoury umami flavours of the Abacus Seeds.
6) Steamed Fish
paired with Max’s Chardonnay
On the nose, the Chardonnay exhibits primarily nectarine, honeydew melon and soft pistachio nougat and surprisingly for this white grape variety, there are even hints of blueberry bavarois! While flavours of citrus and lime fills out the palate and help to complement the slight sourness of the steamed fish.
7) Guotie
paired with BERINGER FOUNDERS ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
$38, available at Cold Storage, Fairprice, Giant, Redmart and Amazon
This Cabernet Sauvignon boasts flavours of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla and cinnamon spices and has a round mouthfeel, supple tannins and a long, lingering finish.
The fruitiness of the wine brings out the juiciness of the minced pork in the Guotie and if dipping the dumpling in vinegar, the wine helps to soften the sour acidity of the vinegar, allowing the flavours of the pork to shine through.
8) Roasted Suckling Pig and Roast Duck
Paired with MAX’S SHIRAZ CABERNET
$42, available at Cold Storage and selected Giant outlets
The Penfolds Max’s range are a tribute to former Chief Winemaker, Max Shubert – a legend in Penfolds’ history.
Blended with 77% Shiraz and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, its defined tannins brings out a palate of blueberries and mulberries while the notes of black olives and briny nori adds an extra dimension to the flavour.
Best paired with roast duck and suckling pig as the rich fruitiness and strong tannins in the Shiraz Cabernet help open up the juicy flavours in the meats.
SNACKS
9) Black Melon Seeds
paired with MAISON DE GRAND ESPIRIT CREMANT DE BOURGOGNE
$45 only at DFS (travel retail exclusive)
To enhance the nutty flavours of the seeds, pair it with the Cremant which has a lingering sweet praline finish.
10)Love Letters
paired with PENFOLDS FATHER GRAND TAWNY
$100 only at DFS (travel retail exclusive)
The Penfolds Father Grand Tawny is a fortified wine and a blend of multiple varieties including Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro and Cabernet. On the nose it is fragrant and fresh, with notes of toasted nuts, chocolate, raisin plum fruits and clove spices. With sweet fruitcake flavours on the palate, the finish is fresh and well-balanced with lingering intensity.
Best served slightly chilled and in small servings, the toffee character of the Father Grand Tawny is accentuated by the flavours of coconut in the Love Letters.
11)Pineapple Tarts
paired with PENFOLDS FATHER GRAND TAWNY
$100 only at DFS (travel retail exclusive)
The notes of dried fruit and prunes in the Father Grand Tawny brings out the immense sweetness of the pineapple tarts.
*This information was extracted from our Chinese New Year campaign with Treasury Wine Estates