Spectacular wine with seafood
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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.
Seafood is one of our great culinary treasures, so are wines. When properly paired they synergistically bring pleasure and happiness. Today’s iDeal section delves into the delicious world of dried seafood and how it embellishes many Chinese dishes. The process of drying seafood boosts its flavors by concentrating savory, salty and other tasty qualities. Dried seafood also adds texture elements to Chinese dishes. The only thing missing is the wine.
Seafood, whether dried or fresh, benefits from dry acidic white wines. Gourmet cultures around the world use acidity to embellish seafood dishes.
In the West we’re fond of sprinkling lemon on seafood, while Thais use lemon grass, and in Shanghai vinegar dipping sauces are often served with regional seafood delights.
Historically, epicureans worldwide have used one or a combination of acidic liquids, sauces and foods to bring out the freshness and awaken the best natural flavors of their seafood. It should come as no surprise to readers that my acidic liquid of choice is a lovely wine.
Depending on the type of seafood and preparation method, desired wine partners should offer ample fruit, minerality and other qualities but it’s the acidity that’s most important. There are plenty of whites that fit the bill but currently some of my favorite seafood white wines come from the Southern Hemisphere.
Chile features a number of climates and terriors that are ideal for red and white wines. This week, I’ll focus on Chilean whites because they are wonderful wines to pair with Chinese dishes that feature dried seafood. They’re also remarkable versatile and match quite nicely with fresh seafood, white meats and many kinds of pasta and pizzas.
Featuring a long coastline bordered by the Andes Mountains that boast altitude and wind-aided cooling elements along with a range of porous soils, Chile has long had the most important requisites to make superior white wines.
A repressive regime and a misguided focus on making cheap wines for domestic consumption severely truncated the progress of the wine industry. Then in 1990, political changes and a new focus on international markets ushered in a new age for Chilean wines.
Today, Chile makes world-class wines including premium whites that are still remarkably affordable. The price-quality ratios of these wines are among the best to be found in Shanghai.
An important factor when choosing a Chilean white is to pick wines from Chile’s cool climate regions like Casablanca, San Antonio Valley, Coastal Aconcagua, Colchagua Valley or Northern Limari. Maipo Valley, though warmer and still best known for their reds, also makes some fine white wines, especially when winemakers harvest earlier to retain freshness.
Sauvignon Blanc is Chile’s most popular white wine variety and has been on a hot streak as of late. While not as outwardly exuberant as their counterparts from Marlborough and other New Zealand regions, Chilean Sauvignon Blanc wines often share some of the elegant characteristics of French Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume Sauvignon Blanc wines while still retaining plenty of New World fruitiness and weight.
The best have no oak or very moderate oak aging and exhibit a range of zesty lime, grapefruit, passion fruit, pineapple and apple flavors along with mineral and grassy notes and a bracingly dry finish. These qualities make them great wines to pair with many kinds of seafood including Chinese dishes with dried seafood.
It’s best to buy recent vintages of Chilean Sauvignon Blancs from Chilean as they’re the freshest and the quality of winemaking is improving each year.
Some good Chilean Sauvignon Blanc producers with wines available in Shanghai are Carmen, Escudo Rojo, Miguel Torres, Casa Lapostolle and Chocalan.
Sauvignon Blanc may be the new sensation, but Chilean Chardonnay wines also have a distinguished recent past.
After a short fascination with trying to emulate certain over-oaked California and Aussie Chards, about a decade ago most of the best Chardonnay producers in Chile sagaciously decided to take a more judicious and light handed approach. Big oaky Chardonnays are still made, but the best producers are making fresher and more elegant wines that are much more seafood friendly.
Top Chilean Chards often feature a lovely combination of tropical and other fruit flavors, minerality and freshness. They have moderate or no oak aging and are best enjoyed relatively young. Chardonnay producers to look for include Montes, Montgras, Chocolan, Tarapaca, Con Sur and Escudo Rojo.
Where to buy in Shanghai
Varieties:
The small cool climate region of San Antonio in Chile is known for making high-quality Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay whites as well as Pinot Noir reds.
Key term:
Slower ripening in wine talk refers to grapes, usually from cool climates, that take a longer time to mature and make wines of greater freshness and elegance.
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