Wine and Chinese Food

Such complex food, how do you know what wine to drink?

The world of wine is as complex as Chinese food.

While the pairing of white wines with seafood and chicken, and red wines with red meats is to be considered, the unique and exotic flavorings of Chinese sauces and methods of cooking also come into play.

The simpler the dish, the simpler the wine. If in doubt, Champagne goes with everything.

Riesling has a floral nose and is ideal with medium spiced steamed dishes. Pinot Gris is a full flavored wine with low acidity and is ideal with plain poached fish or seafood. Local Chardonnays from Ontario are well matched with milder dishes with medium spice, while Californian and Australian Chardonnays are better suited to heavier seafood sauces.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a full bodied wine that is ideal with beef, lamb, and duck in strongly flavored sauces such as Hoisin or black bean, while Pinot Noir goes well with beef, lamb, and duck in a lighter form. Zinfandel originates from California and is well suited to heavy dishes of dark meats.

The Metropolitan Hotel‘s resident Sommeliers would be happy to assist you in making the perfect selection to accompany your dinner.