Pairing Wine with Chinese New Year Dishes: Dragon Edition!
Last year, we spoke about steamed fish and other wonderful Chinese New Year dishes that pair awesomely with wine. This year, we’ve put together a new list of Chinese New Year pairings that will be sure to wow your friends and families this festive season.
Yee Sang
Yee Sang, a colourful and festive salad, is more than just a dish; it's a tradition. This dish involves a lively communal activity where family and friends gather to toss the ingredients high into the air with chopsticks, symbolising the increase of prosperity and good luck for the coming year.
The combination of fresh, raw ingredients, accompanied by sweet and tangy plum sauce, creates a refreshing and lively flavour profile that makes it a wonderful pair to a nice rosé.
Vyne Recommends:
1. Le Poteau Rosé
2. Pete’s Pure Shiraz Rosé
Where to get your Yee Sang: Signature Market or Halley
Where to get your wine: Vyne Wine
Roast Pork Belly - Siew Yoke
Siew Yoke, or Roast Pork Belly, is a crispy and savoury delight that graces the tables during Chinese New Year. The dish involves roasting marinated pork belly until the skin turns irresistibly crunchy while the meat remains tender and flavourful.
The first bite into the crispy skin followed by the succulent layers of meat beneath provides a journey of textures and flavours, making a nice bottle of riesling the perfect pair.
Vyne Recommends:
1. Dr. Loosen Riesling Qualitatswein
2. Willy Gisselbrecht Riesling
Where to get your Siew Yoke: Hong Seng or Babeloo Roast Pork
Where to get your wine: Vyne Wine
Prosperity Yam Basket
Prosperity Yam Basket is a unique dish where a crispy basket is made from yam (taro) and filled with a stir-fry of vegetables, meat, and seafood. It's a symbol of abundance and prosperity.
The contrast between the crunchy yam basket and the savoury filling, often a medley of vegetables, prawns, and chicken, just calls out to the following wine:
Vyne Recommends:
1. Ciu Ciu Bacchus DOP
2. Inviniti Sauvignon Blanc
Where to get your Yam Basket: Lala Chong or Golden Valley
Where to get your wine: Vyne Wine
Sichuan Red Oil Wontons
Sichuan Red Oil Wontons bring a spicy and flavorful kick to Chinese New Year celebrations. These dumplings are typically filled with minced meat and are bathed in a chilli oil sauce.
Anything that is bold and spicy as these dumplings are definitely best paired with the sweetest, lightest and brightest of wines, like:
Vyne Recommends:
1. Ciu Ciu Dolce Spumante
2. Deakin Estate Moscato
Where to get your Spicy Wontons: Din Tai Fung
Where to get your wine: Vyne Wine
Chinese Peanut Cookies
Chinese Peanut Cookies are crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth delights that are a staple during Chinese New Year. These cookies are shaped like coins, symbolising wealth and prosperity.
The cookies are rich and nutty, with a delightful sweetness that comes from a combination of sugar and sometimes maltose. They are often enjoyed with a cup of tea during family gatherings, but we have something better:
Vyne Recommends:
1. Cavit Collection Moscato
2. Mrs Wigley Moscato
Where to get your Peanut Cookies: Bakes by the Balcony or Yu Bake
Where to get your wine: Vyne Wine
