Deliciously mysterious red wine for winter

Recently, every time I fly back to Shanghai I am greeted by swirling winds and snow flakes. Winter is far from over and wine lovers still crave delicious winter red wines to warm our hearts and palates. In a previous column, I introduced grenache as a red wine grape suitable for winter weather and winter dishes. This week, I want recommend another red wine grape perfect for the winter season, zinfandel. Best known as a grape and wine name in California, this variety has a history that long confounded wine professionals and scientists. Read more

Perfect wine options for classic duck dish

Beijing Duck is one of the shinning glories of Chinese cuisine. Few dishes attract such universal acclaim and passion from both Chinese gourmets and western connoisseurs. In my line of work, I often entertain internationally famous wine and food experts. When selecting a dish for a mixture of different people with discerning palates, I often choose Beijing Duck. The combinations of quality ingredients, expert preparation and presentation and delicious flavors and texture combinations in this historic Chinese dish never fails to impress my friends. Read more

Steak and Bordeaux,the perfect partners

Few moments in life are more perfect than when a great steak meets the right Bordeaux red wine. The two are quite simply made for each other. Different cuts of steaks like different regions of Bordeaux have there own distinct characteristics, therefore red wines from some regions, or sub-appellations, of Bordeaux are best with certain cuts of steak. This week as we start the Year of the Tiger, in homage to this great carnivore I’ll match the three most popular steak cuts with their Bordeaux soul-mates. For each steak, I’ll suggest top Bordeaux suitable for the most special of occasions and a good value Bordeaux that won’t bust the bank.

Rib Eye & St. Estephe
The most fatty and juicy of premium steaks, a good rib eye demands an equally good red wine. The red wine should have ample tannins to cut through the fat and facilitate digestion while also offering plenty of dark fruit flavors to embellish the savory beefy flavors of the steak. In essence, the wine acts as a sauce to the steak. The best solution is red wines from St. Estephe appellation of Bordeaux, a region renowned for generously fruity and tannic wines. For a truly special experience try the robust and concentrated 3rd growth Chateau Calon-Segur or the good value but similarly hearty Les Ormes de Pez. Both wines will bring out the best qualities of a good rib eye steak. Read more

奇怪嗎？ 紅酒巧搭魚料理

在臺灣做中式料理的餐酒搭配時總是避免不了兩個現實的問題：首先是紅酒在本地相當熱門，再來就是中式料理有太多好吃的海鮮菜色。而相傳已久的餐酒搭配鐵律──白酒配魚、紅酒配肉──可以打破嗎？我的答案是「當然可以！」雖然大多數白酒確實比較適合與魚共享，而紅酒比較適合與肉共用，但還是有一些美味的例外。

基本原則

決定一款酒是否和魚料理搭配得宜，在於果味和酸度這兩項基本特質，果味往往能突顯魚肉的滋味，並且產生互補的作用，酸度則如同在魚上面擠檸檬的道理，可以清淨味蕾。而挑選時要避免的特質就是酒中不能有鐵質和強烈的單寧，《農業與食品化學期刊》中一篇關於紅酒和魚的日本研究發現，許多紅酒當中自然產生的鐵質會強化魚腥味，口中餘味尤其明顯。研究中也發現酸度較高的紅酒和魚肉比較搭配，因為酒中酸度會降低人對於魚腥味的感受。以卡本內蘇維濃（Cabernet Sauvignon）為主原料的波爾多左岸葡萄酒，由於單寧含量高，抑或稱之結構均衡，反而會壓過魚肉本身的細膩風味。 Read more