Pairing wine with Asian food&nbsp;is a common dilemma. Just what should you order with the Spicy Yellowtail Yu Sheng or the Mongolian Lamb Chops? How do we make palatable choices that cross cultures and bring out the best in each location&rsquo;s use of herbs and spices?

Buddakan is an Asian restaurant that has merged the best of East and West to create an inviting space with an adventurous edge. This restaurant is well-known for culinary creations that present the exotic and vivid flavors of the Far East. &nbsp;The menu offers pan-Asian fare inspired by multiple traditions and favorites such as Dim sum, noodle soups, seafood and whole Peking duck, but what is truly representative of our modern global culture is the meeting of Asian cuisine with European decor, which is reminiscent of the elegance of Paris in the 16th century. The wood panels, ornate chandeliers and renaissance paintings offer elegance and comfort. This melding of cultures is represented in the partnership of an Asian menu and a carefully curated wine list that provides a fine selection of old-world and new-world wines.

Asian food was not originally paired with wine. Traditionally, Asian food was accompanied by sake and soju, wine made out of fermented rice kernels. The notes and effect of the wine on the food were vastly different from that of wine made from grapes. So, as we discovered a love of Asian food in the west, we wanted to match our new love with our old love -- wine.

Let&rsquo;s release the genie from the bottle and find the best wines to pair with Asian food. First of all, we need to recognize the herbs and spices used in the meal, we also need to consider how sweet or sour the dish is. These two factors play an important role in the choice we make.

With spicy Asian dishes, consider a sweeter, demi-sec or off-dry wine with decent acidity. At Buddakan, there are several aromatic dry whites on the wine list. The Trimbach Riesling

&#39;Cuv&eacute;e Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Emile&#39;, from Alsace, France is a great choice.

If you&rsquo;re hot for the Tea Smoked Spare Ribs on the menu, consider choosing a Zinfandel, this red wine has tannins that help cut the fat and work with the char flavor of barbecued ribs and the fruitiness of this grape enhances the spices.

Generally, lighter, dry reds that are low on tannins and snappy, clean, high-acid wines that bring a refreshing quality to the mouth are your best bet. Gewurztraminers and rieslings are usually a good choice. However, if there is a diverse range of meals on the table, why not bring a little effervescence to the table with some bubbles, because, can you ever go wrong with bubbles?

Spicy foods are often said to pair well with sweeter, typically white wines like a demi-sec Chenin Blanc, an off-dry Riesling, or crowd-favorite Moscato d&rsquo;Asti. And that&rsquo;s not entirely unfair: as long as the residual sugar levels are modest, and there&rsquo;s a decent acidity cutting through it all, a slightly sweet wine can arguably make a great pairing for spicy Asian food.

Learn more about pairing wine with Asian food in <a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/buddakan/episodes/12">six minutes on the CorkRules wine review podcast</a>.

Cheers!

&nbsp;

About the CorkRules Podcast:&nbsp;Each week we pour a glass and share top restaurant wine list picks, providing you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the wine list through sommelier recommendations, suggested food pairings and expert insights

About CorkRules:&nbsp;CorkRules, the first digital wine app experience, makes it easier for you to navigate the restaurant wine list, and provides you with personalized wine recommendations from your favorite restaurants. Through CorkRules you can find the perfect wine for every occasion based on your preferences. Connect with friends and wine experts to discover new wines to try and learn about wine. CorkRules makes it easier to discover and drink what you love. &nbsp;

Pairing wine with Asian food is a common dilemma. Just what should you order with the Spicy Yellowtail Yu Sheng or the Mongolian Lamb Chops? How do we make palatable choices that cross cultures and bring out the best in each location’s use of herbs and spices?

Pairing Wine with Asian Food at Buddakan

Wines from grapes grown in higher altitude areas with cooler climate has become quite the trend recently. This specific growing environment gives intense flavor but elegance and freshness to the final wines. To highlight and champion these conditions more and more winemakers are starting to use alto as a marketing and labelling term to show their grapes were grown in high altitude vineyards.

Decoding the wine label: Alto

Brut is a word often seen on labels for different kinds of sparkling wine. As you may have discovered when drinking these wines, it indicates that the wine is dry, meaning there is no perceived sweetness in the wine. But how about Extra Brut or Dry, what do they mean and are they the same as Brut?

Decoding the wine label: Brut

Semi-sweet Riesling, a type of wine falling out of style. It’s a shame, since these wines are perfect to pair with flavorful cuisines like Asian or Mexican, or simply drink as they come under the summer sun. The higher level of sugar left in the wine also means that the alcoholic fermentation was stopped before finishing, providing a wine with lower alcohol level and therefor easier grabbing a second glass of.

Decoding the wine label: Spätlese

Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers’ lips today, as it happens to be considered the grape variety with the highest quality in Greece, and one that is trending at the moment. The fact that Greece have been making wine for a long time comes as no surprise, but they have never exported an amount to make sure wine lovers around the globe tried it. With the growing wine tourism many have discovered these wines and are serving them in wine bars and restaurants in many countries today.

Decoding the wine label: Xinomavro

Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico… Why do all these Italian wine regions have the Classico addendum and what does it mean? What is the difference for wines labeled as Classico?

Classico is a wine term in Italy seen on a few wine labels and it indicates that the wine’s from the historic center of the region, the heart. Using Chianti and Chianti Classico and their Sangiovese-based red wines as an example, Chianti is a rather large wine district within the Tuscany region. Chianti Classico is located withing Chianti as the central part and the one that originally existed. Back then this smaller region was actually called Chianti, but as the region grew the quality of the wine plummeted and the well-known characteristics of these red wines were watered down. The reputation took a hit and sales diminished. Eventually this led to the creation of Chianti Classico, which would be drawn from the original Chianti borders to recover the typicity of these wines. Today the quality of both Chianti and Chianti Classico have risen a lot due to modern techniques and knowledge about pruning, planting and temperature control in the winery.

Decoding the wine label: Classico

In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot's gripping memoir "FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation" reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world's most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

From Burgundy's Vineyards to the FBI's Most Wanted: A Winemaker's Quest for Justice

Chablis – one of the more popular styles of wine today and a region known by many. Most are familiar with the word Chablis and the light, fresh white wine with a touch of minerality it brings. Even though it’s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is.

Decoding the wine label: Chablis

Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they’re grown in, even though they’re exactly the same. The most famous example would be Syrah in France where the same grape is named Shiraz in Australia. Another variety with two names is Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris.

Decoding the wine label: Pinot Grigio

Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It’s not a grape and not a wine region, but a winemaking method used to give certain styles of white wine a rounder texture and a more complex flavor profile.

Decoding the wine label: Sur lie

Have & Meyer

Whitney Grant

Have &amp; Meyer

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!

A podcast where, in each episode,&nbsp;we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Whitney Grant, wine educator and certified sommelier.

Hello Whitney, it&rsquo;s great to have you back on with CorkRules.

WG: Hi Robert! Thanks for having me! I&rsquo;m excited to share these wine selections with you and the CorkRules listeners.

RT:

Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine list&rsquo;s because we know from experience, that sometimes when we get that list handed to us, well&hellip; it can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, or value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

RT: So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today we are talking about Have and Meyer, an Italian restaurant featuring authentic recipes using sustainable and seasonal ingredients from small producers. &ldquo;Slow Food&rdquo; inspired eats with an incredible natural wine selection. Whitney, can you tell us a little about what natural wine is?

WG: Unlike organic or biodynamic there is currently no certifications or uniform definition for natural wine. That being said, natural wine is typically made in traditional simple methods, using grapes farmed without the use of pesticides or herbicides, fermented with natural yeast otherwise known as wild fermentation, there are no additives, and typically little to no sulphites. There is a ton of diversity with natural wine producers and Have &amp; Meyer is an excellent place to explore this style with over 100 wines by the glass there is something for everyone!

RT: Wow, that is quite the selection where would you start with this list?

WG: Let&#39;s start with a tour of Italy starting with Northern Italy and Piemonte in the northwest corner of Italy growing Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo is a red wine grape known for its high levels of acidity, tannin and ability to age. Typically aromas of cherries, herbs and dried florals.

I would recommend two of these Nebbiolo wines to see the difference of these two sub-regions. First the Brezza Barolo. Brezza has been certified organic since 2015 starting the process in 2010 really focusing on vineyard health and in turn producing incredible wines.

I would also suggest the Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco a female-run winery. In comparison to Barolo these wines are slightly fruiter with the same high acidity and tannin to make these age beautifully. You can expect aromas and flavors of dried cherries, rose petal with depth and structure.

RT: Where to next on our tour of Italian wines?

WG: Let&rsquo;s explore the selection of Central Italy and Chianti Classico. I would recommend the Ottomani Chianti Classico which is 100% Sangiovese. These grapes slowly ripen in the higher altitude vineyards giving the wines great acidity and herbal aromas. The Ottomani vineyards are certified biodynamic and organic and are growing great quality fruit. With this wine you can expect smoky red fruit and tomato leaf, this would pair nicely with a hearty Ragu.

Finishing out the tour of Italy with Southern Italy and a Fiano from Campania for the white wine drinkers. Typically these wines have medium acidity and medium to full body, with atoms of stone fruit, melon, and mango. Here at Have &amp; Meyer, I would recommend the Cantina Giardino Gaia Fiano. These producers farm old vines and age the Fiano in chestnut casks.

&nbsp;RT: I see on the menu a selection of orange wines, can you tell us more about orange wines?

WG: Orange wine is a growing category, especially in the natural wine space. This type of wine is produced by leaving the grape skins and seeds in contact with the juice, similar to how red wines are made. The end result gives the wine an orange hue and some mild tannins.

If you&rsquo;d like to try an orange wine here I&rsquo;d recommend the Stefano Ronco Severo pinot grigio. This wine has aromas of acacia flowers, white fruits, walnuts, and toasted almonds with a hint of spice on the finish.

RT: What would you recommend for a guest who is not as familiar with the Italian wine varietals?

WG: They do have more of the common varietals available here. The D &rsquo;Orsaria Chardonnay made with cool fermentation in stainless steel. Nice crisp acidic unoaked chardonnay. A lovely ros&eacute; of Syrah with note strawberry rounded out with a nice earthy finish. The Il Rospo Cabernet Sauvignon from Tuscany where they can produce amazing &ldquo;Super Tuscans&rdquo;. This wine has deep fruit flavors of black currant and cherry, crushed stones, and rich tannin.

RT: So Whitney, I see Have &amp; Meyer have a full list of natural Champagne! Which Champagne would you recommend?

WG: Robert I love all things sparkling and Champagne is the best of the best. I would recommend Jacquesson Cuvee No. 744. This wine has received stellar ratings from wine critics scoring a 94 with Robert Parker saying this wine is &ldquo;complex with aromas of orange oil, and stonefruit calling it vivid &amp; nuanced. James Suckling had a stellar rating of 92 points. He called reviewed this wine as &ldquo;attractive and very drinkable with aromas of apple and brioche&rdquo;

RT: Whitney, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate the Have &amp; Meyer wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try them myself.

WG: Thanks for having me Robert, this was an exciting list to review and I hope the CorkRules listeners get the chance to enjoy some of these wines!

RT: To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: Info@CorkRules.com or visit our web website where we have a request form available and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

End

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BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

Gap Weekend: A Film Shoot in Wine Country

Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

La Burgondie is a family-owned winery located in the heart of Burgundy. We are committed to producing high-quality wines using sustainable farming practices and minimal intervention in the winemaking process.

Premium steaks & seafood join house cocktails in a sedate dining room with a classic bar.

Per Se

homepage

CorkRules application allows you to discover wines at your favorite restaurants, learn with friends and be confident with price transparency. Order wine with confidence at restaurants and retailers. Get personalized recommendations. #DrinkWhatYouLove

Bin 54 Steak & Cellar

Division 'Lutte' Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley NV

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Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Les Deux Juliettes Slection 2020

Red Rhone Blend

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Mar de Frades

Rias Baixas Albarino Atlantico 2020

Albarino

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Dolce

Winery Late Harvest 2013

Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend

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Klinker Brick

Old Vine Zinfandel 2016

Zinfandel

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Trefethen

Oak Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2019

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Zuccardi

Serie A Torrontes NV

Torrontes

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Bisci

Verdicchio di Matelica 2016

Verdicchio

Italy

Bodega Garzón

Reserva Tannat 2019

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Lunatico Moscato d'Asti 2020

Moscato

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Flora Prosecco NV

Glera

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Hermann Moser Grner Veltliner Karmeliterberg Kremstal, Austria 2021

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Yalumba Block Old Bush Vine Grenache Rose 2020

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Bernard Fouquet Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Cuvee de Silex 2018

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Clos Troteligotte 'K Or', Cahors 2019

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