Isacs is the founder and CEO of EnjoyGourmet, a leading gourmet digital (www.enjoygourmet.com.cn) and print media company in China. He has authored over a dozen wine and food books including the awarded ISACS Guides and other gourmet books and is a wine consultant to governments, wine regions and organizations. He also hosts wine events for leading organizations and companies throughout China. Contact John via jcolumn@enjoygourmet.com.

In the world of food and wine I love traditions, but a few recent experiences in Shanghai have given me optimism about the future of pairing wine with fusion cuisine. In the past, while I’ve been intrigued by the creative aspect of fusion cuisine I’ve also more often than not been terribly disappointed with the wine pairings. Even at multi-starred Michelin restaurants offering celebrated fusion dishes, the wine was often little more than a casual afterthought. But as Bob Dylan sang in his 1964 song, “The Times They Are A-Changin.”

Just last week I had an excellent food and wine tasting experience at a Shanghai restaurant where Italian gastronomy concepts and techniques are being combined with ingredients from China’s eight great cuisines.

Chef DeAllie Tam and her team have created an adventurous menu of meticulously prepared dishes that are paired with three or five different wines from France and Italy. It pleases me that wine is a big part of the dining experience and not surprisingly the whole kitchen and service team tastes. As I delighted in the dishes, sommelier Stephanie Gong shared with me her pairing concepts. We discussed the challenges fusion dishes present as well as the need to keep demanding customers happy which necessitates certain styles of wines that may or may not be the best companions to the dishes. Everyone agreed it’s an ongoing endeavor but also one that’s rewarding and with effort and passion increasingly successful.

As in a classic Italian or French meal, no one style of wine goes with all the dishes, but some wines are innately more versatile and pair better with a larger bandwidth of ingredients and regional styles of cooking. This element of versatility is especially important in the world of creative and complex fusion dishes where wines are often walking a tightrope between success and failure. Depending on the dish, some of my go-to wines for fusion cooking include vivaciously bright and crisp white wines and light to medium bodied reds with good freshness and balance. Of course, no-dosage or low-dosage Champagnes or sparklers are often also excellent choices. This week, I’ll take a look at Italy’s most important grape and explain why it’s a fusion-friendly wine.

Blood of Jove

Sangiovese is Italy’s most important grape that makes some of the world’s most famous red wines, including Chianti Classico DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, some Super Tuscans and others. The modern name of the variety derives from the Latin word Sanguis Jovis or “the blood of Jove” and most likely refers to the ruby red color of wines made from the grape.

Sangiovese is an ancient grape that was first cultivated by the Etruscans (768-264 BC) who lived in central Italy in pre-Roman times. The Etruscans were the original gourmets of Italy and some speculate that their hedonistic gluttony directly led to the decline and fall of their empire. Long before the Romans, the Etruscans were experts in epicurean excess, holding days or even week-long feasts. Revelers would eat and drink until they passed out, then upon awaking they would start the gluttony all over again. They were also among the earliest to write about the relationship between food and wine. In the early Renaissance era, the great noble families of Tuscany, like Strozzi, Ricasoli, Mazzei, Antinori and Frescabaldi were champions of the Sangiovese grape and by selling wines under their family names they created the world’s first wine brands.

The historical significance and modern-day importance of Sangiovese are undeniable, but what exactly makes them fine partners to many fusion dishes? Sangiovese like many grapes expresses itself in several ways. In its youth, it tends to be fresh and fruity with plenty of strawberry, red cherry and other red fruit and sometimes floral qualities along with good acidity and herbal-spice elements. More mature examples often exhibit plum, bitter cherry, leather, tobacco and other earthy sensations. It’s the former youthful style that’s best for most fusion dishes as the fresh and fruity nature of the wines highlights but doesn’t overwhelm the diverse, fresh and often delicate flavors of dishes. Of course, should a fusion meal also include heavier and more meaty dishes, with umami qualities, then one should feel free to bring out the Sangiovese “big boys,” namely, Chianti Classico Riserva, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione and Brunello di Montalcino.

Another fine expression of the Sangiovese grape in Italy is the Sangiovese di Romagna DOC. While not as famous as their Tuscan cousins, the Sangiovese wines from Romagna share the same bright red fruit qualities but tend to be more forward, friendly and less tannic.

Excellent, but unfortunately also rather pedestrian examples of Tuscan Sangiovese wines exist, so it’s a good idea to stick to the best producers. Some of top producers with wines in Shanghai are: Mazzei, Ricasoli, Strozzi, Felsina, Bernardino, Carpeneto and Castello di Queceto. Buyers need not be vintage conscious as nature has been kind to Tuscan Sangiovese producers over the past decade. 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2013 were all excellent years, while 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014 were rated as very good vintages.

Where to buy in Shanghai

Varieties:

Tuscany is home to numerous Italian native and international varieties but the red grape Sangiovese stands alone as the king of the region.

Key term:

In the 1960s, innovative Tuscan wine producers started using international varieties, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to make outstanding wines that became known as Super Tuscans.