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

Maria Valetta, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head to Las Vegas where they stop in at Buddy V’s an Italian restaurant in the Venetian resort with views of the strip. 

Wine List Review of Buddy V's, Las Vegas

Maria Valetta

Buddy V's

Buddy V&rsquo;s Ristorante&hellip; Venetian resort in Las Vegas

<a href="https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/content/dam/venetian/restaurants/buddy-v/drink-menu.pdf">https://www.venetianlasvegas.com/content/dam/venetian/restaurants/buddy-v/drink-menu.pdf</a>

RT): Hi Everyone, welcome back to CorkRules! The wine APP &amp; podcast that&rsquo;s here to help YOU navigate all your FAVORITE restaurant wine lists.

I&rsquo;m your host, Robert Tas, along with Maria Valetta, wine educator, and certified sommelier, also known as Maria The Wine Blonde on Instagram. Welcome back Maria

MV: Hello Robert we have been on an Italian restaurant kick lately!

RT: We sure have&hellip;. and coming up today is Buddy V&rsquo;s Ristorante&hellip; so get ready for cannolis and raviolis and lots of wine ~ Because the Cake Boss has more than just cake on offer, at his restaurant in the Venetian resort in Las Vegas! You can expect his Family&rsquo;s recipes of Italian favorites with window views of the strip&hellip;

So Let&rsquo;s get to it, and pair some wines with all that Red Sauce from the &ldquo;BOSS&rdquo;!

MV: Robert now that&rsquo;s a good one! Okay so let&rsquo;s check out this wine list: it&rsquo;s mostly Italian American themed.. like the food here.. lots of reasonable options and more new world focused on offer by the glass.

RT: So take us through it!&nbsp;

MV: Okay to start&hellip; your best bets for By the glass are the

SAUVIGNON BLANC San Simeon, Paso Robles,

For a crisp bight wine or for a richer, carefully oaked style then order,

&nbsp;the Chalk Hill, Chardonnay from Sonoma County, 2019 .under premium pours.

&nbsp;And reds the CABERNET PINOT NOIR Four Graces, Willamette Valley, 2019 ....&nbsp; Or the Trinchero, Iron &amp; Sand, Paso Robles 2019 for a bigger bolder option.

RT: oh yeah I see definitely California focused &hellip;so now that we have a glass of wine in our hand.. let&rsquo;s roll into the wines by the bottle, you said lots of reasonable options right?

MV: I did.. so I have a few great suggestions starting with a fresh sparkling&hellip;

..I know a lot of girlfriends that like to start with prosecco at Italian restaurants and while I do personally prefer Franciacorta, prosecco has its place and can be a fun wine IF it&rsquo;s a good producer&hellip; and the Nino Franco Rustico, Prosecco Veneto, NV .................. 52 is a good one and a good value

But if you want to just roll into a really great white wine because you know you&#39;re having the Bronzino for your main entree, then check out the wines from the producer Jermann. &nbsp;now I know you have heard me mention the pinot grigio from Jermann before a couple of times but not everyone carries the other wines this fantastic producer makes, but Buddy Vs has two on this list that are&nbsp; must order wines.. the RIBOLLA GIALLA Jermann, Vinnae, Fruili, 2019 that falls into the value category and the jermann, Dreams, Chardonnay 2018............... 138 that falls into the premium category&hellip; I think you will fall in love with these wines, especially when paired with the right foods.

RT: And so speaking of food if we are all about that red sauce&hellip; what do you recommend in the red value category?

MV: You mean red gravy? Lol! Okay then you go Italian red like the Antinori, il Bruciato, 2019 baby SUPER TUSCAN <s>&nbsp;</s>Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah with a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot complex with layers of fruit and spice but it &rsquo;s&nbsp;the rounded integrated tannins that just makes you want to take sip after sip especially with that Valastro Sunday gravy dish which has a bunch of different meats layered over Rigatoni

MV: If you&#39;re all about California wines and have decided on the ANGUS NEW YORK STRIP steak then go for the Seghesio, ZINFANDEL Sonoma, 2017 ...................... 52 it&rsquo;s super affordable and everyone will love the fruit-forward profile its tannins are softer than a stuffed animal.

RT: Red Zin is actually really good with a little char on your steak too &hellip; And then, you mentioned earlier, the Dreams chardonnay in the more premium category what&rsquo;s on par for reds?

MV: Yeah&hellip; Check out these 2, for Italian,&nbsp; the Ceretto, 2016 BAROLO........................ 152 this family-owned wine estate in the Lange Hills of Piedmont is one of the most respected producers of Barolo (and Barbaresco) all the wines are organically certified and this 2016 vintage has just begun to show it&rsquo;s best side..

For my American pick, the Ziata, Mia Madre, BORDEAUX BLEND Napa, 2015

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, and 9% Petit Verdot. Funny because it has an Italian name even though it&rsquo;s a California wine&hellip; it&rsquo;s a creation by Karen Cakebread.. now we all know the cakebread name in wine.. she named this wine after her mother&rsquo;s maiden name Annunziata and is Karen herself is really involved in all the details of making this one .. Give it a try, it would be a great wine to sip on in the lounge while listening to the live music they have on Tuesdays-Thursdays!

RT: Live music and wine.. now you&#39;re talking!

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RT: Well thank you Maria for talking wine at Buddy V&rsquo;s in Las Vegas with us, and thank you everyone, for joining us on another episode of CorkRules. Be sure to download the app from the Appstore and start getting your personal restaurant wine recommendations directly to your phone. You can find more wine educational tips from Maria on Instagram @mariathewineblonde and on the CorkRules app.

MV: It&rsquo;s here! The CorkRules App! Download it for free today from the app store so you can browse restaurant wine lists, connect with your friends, and start drinking wines you love.&nbsp;

Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here. Send us your requests at <a href="mailto:info@corkrules.com">info@CorkRules.com</a> You can find previous episodes on your favorite podcast platform and on The CorkRules app. Be sure to follow @CorkRules on Instagram for episode updates. Prices and selections subject to change, please drink responsibly.

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BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

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Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Berticot is a family-owned winery in the southwest of France. They specialize in producing wines from the Côtes de Duras and Côtes du Marmandais appellations. The winery is known for its commitment to sustainable winemaking practices and producing high-quality wines that express the unique terroir of the region.

Restaurant & bar featuring locally sourced Canadian cuisine, craft beer & regular live music.

The American Express Centurion Global Lounge Network

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

The Huron Club Gastropub

La Chiripada

Rio Embudo Red NV

Blend

New Mexico, USA

Fox Brook

Chardonnay NV

Chardonnay

California, USA

Humberto Canale

Black River Malbec NV

Malbec

Patagonia, Argentina

Backhouse

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Tall Poppy Merlot Select, Australia, South Australia, Lower Murray NV

Merlot

South Australia, Australia

Principato

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Gris

Delle Venezie, Italy

Leaping Horse

Merlot NV

Merlot

California, USA

Domaine de Bachellery

Pinot Noir NV

Pays d'Oc, France

Leaping Horse

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Leaping Horse Vineyards Chardonnay, California NV

California, USA

Nuà

Prosecco NV

Glera (Prosecco)

Prosecco, Italy

Josh Cellars

Prosecco NV

Glera

Prosecco, Italy

Parducci Merlot, USA, California NV

Merlot

California, USA

Contemassi Chianti Riserva, Italy, Tuscany, Chianti NV

Sangiovese Blend

Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Diamond Collection Claret NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA