Wines For Asian Influenced Foods

[Randy Caparoso]

Thanks, JDM. A kind word from the Curmudgeon is worth diving into anything. So here goes...

Bucko, I've been Roy's partner/v.p./wine buyer from the beginnings of our first restaurant in East Honolulu in 1988 (my, how time flies -- we're no longer exactly fresh and "hot" either, I guess). I also threw up a barrage of comments on the old Compuserve Forum for a grand total of two months some four years ago; before my wife and daughter (it was their p.c.) stepped in and pulled the plug. Talked to Melanie a lot then, but not since.

Appreciated your comments on us, Alan Wong's., et al. The cooking out here in the islands, by the way, is better and more sophisticated than ever. Just a short time
ago a lot of people feared that it was getting carried way -- culinary fusion draws that out of many people. But I'm sure you know that it works because, well, all cooking is basically fusion at its roots if not ends. It's the way of the world, this gastronomic evolution (just a lot faster these days).

Over the years, we've worked with just about every wine available and made our judgements on how they work in Asian seasoned contexts by our guests' as much as by our own assessments. Alsatian Gewurztraminer, however, has always been a tough one for almost everything we do except, say, game birds and the "other white meat"; especially since even in average years the better producers seem to aim for big, intense styles (the intrinsically bitter edges have a tendency to fight sweetness, vinaigrettes, and heat spices). Moderately scaled Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, on the other hand, can be lovely (not the big Alsatian vieilles vignes). For instance, recently we have been serving a beautifully crisp, fragrant, minerally and lithe Heger Pinot Gris from Germany's Baden region with great results with, say, Chinese style steamed white fish (in sizzling soy/peanut oil, ginger and cilantro). Currently our best selling white wine (period!) is a Pinot Gris 100% French barrel fermented for the creamy texture, not the oak flavor) for us by Rex Hill in Oregon -- the combination of acidity, floral/minerally spice and textural complexity is almost a guarantee with our fish in beurre blancs when infused with, say, Japanese seasonings, sea vegetable flavors, and slightly bitter Asian greens. The new fangled Pinot Blancs from both Germany and Oregon -- that is, those made from the true Pinot Noir mutations (not the broader, simpler Melons) -- offer similar focus, crispness and depth. Certain Savennieres (when not too earthy or acidic) have their appeal, but I can't wait for more petillant style Vouvrays to come out -- lively, spritzy qualities always do wonders with, say, wasabi spiked sauces.

Karena,truly: personally, I rarely find a dearth of choices by the glass to be a detriment. When in doubt, I say, order a bottle of a fresh, crisp, buoyantly flavorful and earth toned all-around red such as an Oregon Pinot Noir, a Chinon from the Loire, or a even a Washington St. Lemberger (or now, "Blue Franc") or Italian Teroldego. The red wines that (as David Rosengarten and Joshua Wesson are fond of saying) that "think their whites" are probably the single most versatile wines on the planet. You can do whole meals -- soup to nuts -- with such decent reds. Although some of the new international styles of whites -- i.e. Margaret River Chardonnays, barrel fermented Veneto whites (by Anselmi and Zenato), Umbrian Grechetto (Falesco), and the aforementioned Pinot family varietals -- are now coming up with as much depth and flavor interest to cross many food channels.

Almost makes you forget to reach for a good, handcrafted beer... not!