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.

Noodles and wines have synergistically coexisted for millenniums. This wonder food combines the commendable attributes of being cheap, nutritious, filling and easy to transport, store and cook. The Chinese invented them, the Arabs geographically disseminated them and the Italians made noodles into one of the world’s most popular foods.

Their origin remains ambiguous and controversial but a 2005 archeological dig in Qinghai Province, China uncovered what is believed to be the earliest known noodles. Buried under 3 meters of dirt, scientists found a sealed bowl containing thin yellow noodles made of foxtail and broomcorn millets. The remnants were carbon dated to over 4,000 years ago. The earliest written record of noodles goes back to the Eastern Han period (AD 25–220) book and by the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) noodles made from wheat were a staple food. In China, the earliest noodles divided into thin strips were found in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) while the first dried noodles date back to the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). That’s an awful lot of noodle history!

Today’s iDEAL section focuses on classic dry Chinese noodle dishes that, because of their lack of soup, beg for an appropriate liquid partner. One of the best of those can be found in the north of Spain.

The most historically important wine regions of Spain are Jerez and Rioja. The former is perhaps the oldest and home to incomparable Sherry wines while the later produces a larger amount of premium-quality wines than any other Spanish region. Located in the hilly north of the country, winemaking in this region dates back thousands of years to the Phoenicians and Celtiberians, but it wasn’t until the mid to late 19th century that the region gained global recognition for making great wines. At this point of history, winemakers in Bordeaux were devastated by the phylloxera vine disease and many settled in Rioja also bringing their considerable winemaking skills. First formerly organized as a wine region is 1926, in 1991 Rioja became the first region in Spain to receive the Denominacion de Origen Calificada, the nation’s highest designation of quality for wines.

White wines made mostly from the Viura or Macabeo variety, and rose wines from Garnacha grapes, are produced, but 85 percent of production is red wine. Rioja red wines are predominantly made with the Tempranillo grape, a variety that features a thick skin and makes wines with plenty of tannins but low acidity and sugar. Therefore, Tempranillo is commonly blended with other Spanish varieties. The classic Rioja blend comprises mostly Tempranillo that contributes primary flavors, texture as well as aging potential with about 20 percent Granacha that provides fruitiness and alcohol and smaller contributions of Mazuelo and Graciano grapes that impart spicy notes and aromatics.

Rioja is dived into three major sub regions of La Rioja Alavesa and La Rioja Alta that occupy the more elevated and sloping areas and La Rioja Baja located in the drier and flatter southeast area. Less expensive reds from Rioja may blend grapes from all three regions, but most top wines come from the elevated Alavesa and Alta regions. Though historically somewhat looked down upon, Baja has a growing number of new and innovative producers making excellent wines.

The Rioja red wine pyramid of quality starts at the base with Rioja Tempranillo wines, often called Joven, that are young and fresh reds with little or no oak aging. The next step up are the Crianza wines that are aged one year in oak and a few months or more in the bottle. These wines represent great value and depth, character and typicity at reasonable prices.

Next are Rioja Reserva wines that have three years of aging with at least one year in oak. Offering power, elegance and complexity, Reserva are among the best value premium red wines in the world. At the summit of the quality pyramid are the Gran Reserva wines that have five years of aging with at least two years in oak. These tannic and age-worthy wines are famous for their stewed fruit, smoky and leathery qualities imparted by long aging. Rioja Reserva and Gran Reserva wines have sometimes been criticized for being over oaked so many producers are being more judicious in the use of oak.

As a result, top modern examples of Rioja reds offer a wonderful combination of traditional richness and complexity along with greater fresh fruit qualities.

There’s no shortage of excellent Rioja wines available in our fair city with the three historic producers Marques de Riscal, Marques de Murrieta and Beronia standing out. These wineries played important roles in building the reputation of Rioja as one of the world’s great wine regions and make excellent, yet reasonably priced wines. Other Rioja wineries I highly recommend include Lan, El Coto and Ibericos from the Torres family. The region of Rioja does experience above average vintage variation so stick to the best vintages.

Recent excellent vintages are 2010 and 2011, and very good vintages 2012, 2015 and 2016.

When pairing Rioja reds with noodle dishes, I advise lighter Joven and Crianza wines with mild noodle dishes and the weightier Reserva and Grans Reserva reds with meatier and heavier flavored noodle dishes.

Serve the Joven and Crianza wines about 15-16 degree Celsius after 15-20 minutes breathing time and the Reserva and Gran Reserva reds no higher than 18 degree Celsius with at least 30 plus minutes breathing time.

Where to buy in Shanghai

Varieties: Tempranillo is the most important grape in Rioja with Garnacha; Carignan and Graciano also are allowed as minority contributors to Rioja blends.

Key term: Crianza is a term used throughout Spain and in Rioja it refers to red wines with two years of aging of which one year is in oak.