Matching Wines with the Hot-Sour-Salty-Sweet Foods of Asia (3/4)

The jammy, lusciously raspberryish, black peppery spiced aromas and flavors of first rate California Zinfandel – especially those of moderate or at least rounded tannin structure - are a sensible if unorthodox choice with barbecued pork or beef ribs coated in sweet/spicy marinades (especially when Asian chili seasonings or sauces are used). A proper Zinfandel has the red wine tannin to handle fatty, charred meats, yet the cushion of fruitiness to enhance, rather than fight, the hot spices. But peppery spiced Zinfandels are also surprising with aggressive forms of Southeast Asian cooking, such as grilled coriander chicken served with sweet/salty/spicy dipping sauces (nam jeem), raw beef with pepper salt, beef stir fried with spicy ginger, and hot pot dishes such as eggplant (cooked with ground pork, coriander, dried shrimp, garlic, and shallots) served with fried beef jerky. Whenever there is a presence of peppercorns, some vinegary zest, or slightly hot garlic, chile and gingery sensations, a zesty, peppery, fruity Zinfandel finds another surprising food element. Asian Foods with Southern French Varietals & Blends (Syrah, Grenache & Mourvedre) The entire premise of balancing Southern French varietal reds – Syrah for its floral, spicy, structural fullness, Grenache for its plush, mildly peppery red fruitiness, and Mourvedre for its dense, meaty texture – draws comparisons to the balancing of ingredients and sensations in Asian style cooking. Beef or pork ribs in sweet, salty, peppery, vinegary, spicy hot, and even downright sticky sauces tend to be problematic for Bordeaux varietals, but not so much for the Southern French. The advantage of Southern French blends is that their tannin is moderated enough so that they don’t taste so bitter in relation to sweet, sour, salty or spicy sauces, yet retain enough red wine phenolics to digest fatty meats. This opens the door for the peppercorn-like components natural to Syrah and Grenache to find pleasing flavor bridges in dishes that make use of chiles and other spicy ingredients. Then there is the factor of umami – specifically, the reaction of salt and acidity when activitated by foods high in amino acids (such as mushrooms, aged cheeses, seaweeds and natural stocks) – which effectively reduces bitter tastes in both wines and dishes. In the presence of high umami ingredients, typically spicy, sweetly fruited, earth toned Southern French reds tend to taste “milder,” while dishes become more savory. In fact, pure varietal Syrahs – particularly the fruit forward (as opposed to hard and tannic) styles of Australian Shiraz, and many of the new style Syrahs coming from California’s Central Coast and Lodi regions – seem to help the palate achieve umami-related sensory adaptations with considerable ease. It’s no surprise that the dominant style of cooking done in Australia today is pervasively Asian, and the Aussies have no problem, philosophically or sensory related, consuming their biggest Southern French varietals and blends with it! Asian Foods with Rounder Italian Red Varietals (Dolcetto, Barbera & Sangiovese) The range of red wines made from these grapes not only in Italy but also, now, in California is astounding. Each has its charms – Dolcetto a zesty black fruitiness, Barbera an even zestier edged, palate sticking fruitiness, and Sangiovese a mildly zesty, cherry fruit complexity – and all are marked by qualities of slightly elevated acidity, low to medium tannin, and earth related characteristics manifested in multiple ways, from burning leaves and licorice to roasted meat and leather-like nuances.