These wines pair well with Chinese food Chinese New Year begins Thursday. Maybe you're planning to celebrate with something simple like, say, a bowl of fried rice. Whether you make it at home or order takeout, there is the question of what to drink as you welcome in the Year of the Sheep. Beer or soda might be what many people would reach for with this favorite Cantonese-American dish. But wine lovers can consider themselves lucky. After some investigative reporting — making fried rice and opening lots of bottles to try — some unexpected wines, both red and white, were found to be especially good matches. All of these fried-rice-friendly wines keep their balance on the table, so no single element, whether tannin, acidity, oak or fruit, predominates. All of the wines also have an appealing richness that complements the oil-coated rice. One example of what did not work was oak-aged California Cabernet. It was good on its own but harsh and out of whack with the food.

Another no-go was crisp Sauvignon Blanc, which seemed thin and tart once the chopsticks hit the rice. Here are the recommended wines. All of them are delicious bargains — with or without Chinese takeout: Strangeland Pinot Gris, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, 2011.About $16 a bottle. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the same grape, but the style of Pinot Gris, whether from Alsace or Oregon, is typically weightier and richer than that of Pinot Grigio. What's in this bottle is a lovely example of Pinot Gris, with fresh flavors and enough heft to hold its own on the table. There is a delicate acidity that kicks in at the end. The King Estate Pinot Gris, 2013.About $16 a bottle. Also from Oregon, this is another good choice. Paul Mas Marsanne, Single Vineyard Collection, 2012.About $14 a bottle. From southern France comes this mellow, golden-hued wine that has hints of honey and vanilla in the aroma. It's pretty fabulous — worth every penny and worth seeking out.

If you're not familiar with Marsanne, it's a white grape — often blended with Roussanne — known for producing rich, nutty-tasting wines. Tres Picos Borsao Garnacha, 2011.About $15 a bottle. Tasters couldn't get enough of this full-bodied Spanish red. It's loaded with berry flavor and has a modest amount of oak, along with some herbal notes, which add to the lovely overall effect. Enjoy it with fried rice, but it's also excellent with Chinese barbecued ribs. Resonata Nero D'Avola, 2013.About $12 a bottle. If you've been meaning to try Nero D'Avola from Sicily, here a good one to start with. This is a medium-bodied red, with surprising-at-this-price elegance. You'll taste blueberry, tobacco and spice beautifully knit together and finished with easygoing tannins. If you can't find it, go with another Nero D'Avola, as they are often easy-drinking and affordably priced. Anne Schamberg is a freelance writer who lives in Waukesha. The recipe used in our research was adapted from Jaden Hair's "Steamy Kitchen's Healthy Asian Favorites: 100 Recipes that are Fast, Fresh and Simple Enough for Tonight's Supper" (Ten Speed Press, 2013, $24).

It calls for brown rice, but traditional white can be substituted.The recipe is meatless, relying on shelled edamame beans for added protein. Author Jaden Hair notes that to make it vegetarian, swap the oyster sauce for mushroom-flavored soy sauce, available at Asian markets. best kindle wine booksAnd because fried rice is so adaptable, feel free to add cooked shrimp, pork or chicken.best wine boxes uk 2015 Tested by Anne Schambergwhat port wine to buy 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)2 egg whites or substitute 2 whole eggs, if you prefer2 green onions, minced1 bell pepper, diced2 cloves garlic, finely minced2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger1 cup cooked, shelled edamame3 cups leftover cooked brown rice, grains separated with wet hands1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce2 tablespoons oyster saucetop 20 countries for wine

Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add eggs and quickly scramble. Remove eggs and set aside.Swirl in remaining 1 tablespoon oil and reduce heat to medium-high. Add green onions and bell pepper. Add garlic, ginger and edamame. best seattle wine tastingIncrease heat to high and add egg and rice. best wine to go with japanese foodWith a spatula, toss well and spread rice over surface of pan. Cook, undisturbed, 2 minutes, allowing rice to brown slightly. Toss rice well, spread over surface of pan again and cook, undisturbed, 2 minutes longer.Add soy sauce and oyster sauce and toss well. Let cook 2 minutes longer. Taste and add additional soy or oyster sauce if needed. You may also like... Explore the variety of Chardonnay Gift ideas for the wine lover on your list

Slovenian wines commanding attention in Milwaukee area Botham Driftless wine gives back As U.S. vintners prepare to hit Cuba, enthusiasm for wine grows Pairing sushi and sake can be simple — or highly selective Wine tasting notes: Colby Red Chocolate paired with wine a dynamic duo Former gas station still worth a pit stop—for wine Wooden flask quickly adds oak flavor Downtown Waukesha gains second wine bar Small-town restaurants awarded for wine lists Makgeolli, a Korean rice wine, is an unfiltered joy A wine power couple Petite Pearl the red crown jewel of winemaking grapes White Zinfandel's accidental origins Wisconsin native calls Oregon winery home Wollersheim named best small winery Waukesha wine bar Crush has a big-city feel UW enologist working to improve state's wines, cidersHome » Wine » Dessert » Oh how we love our Chinese food!  And until recently, Chinese food was the end all and be all.  

But now, our palates have expanded (as have our bellies… ok, mine.  Perhaps not so much the other Mee’s), and we’ve learned about the great Ancient Chinese invention of alcohol, and how pairing a fine glass of wine can totally accentuate the flavors of the Chinese food that we love.We’ve been schooled on some of the principles of pairing wine and Chinese food, and now we want to share that knowledge with you.GENERAL PRINCIPLESWhen matching any food with wine, there are several basic rules to keep in mind:Similar foods and wines pair well. A delicate dish, for example, demands a delicate, light-bodied wine, and a hearty, rib-warming meal needs a rich, powerful, full-bodied wine.Contrasting foods and wines can also be good partners, although these matches are trickier.  I have enough trouble matching ties with shirts, so I tend to stick more with the basic rules of wine pairing.Food and wine should complement, rather than overpower, each other.  You do not want a wine that will overwhelm a dish;

you want one that will stand up to it.Fiery dishes are best with wines that are low in tannins and alcohol, which fan the flames, and with off-dry (slightly sweet) and sweet wines, which tone them down.In general, the lower the alcohol content, the more you have to drink.  Errr, ummm, I meant, the sweeter the wine.If beer goes well with a dish, sparkling wine will too.Here is a good rule of thumb: the milder the dish the drier the wine; the spicier, the fruitier; the hotter, the sweeter. Now, let’s talk specifics in regards to pairing Chinese food with wines.SOME GENERAL WINE PAIRINGS by CHINESE CUISINE:Cantonese cuisine has some sweetness, is not very spicy, has many dishes that are sweet-and-sour, uses fermented black beans and/or soy sauce and is salty. Try sparkling, Pinot Blanc or Riesling (especially for seafood), Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer with roasted meats and poultry, and rosé.Szechuan foods are spicy, use hot-and-sour sauces, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic.

Pair with sparkling wine, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Moscato d’Asti, rosé and Beaujolais.Hunan foods go well with sparkling wines, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Beaujolais.Shanghainese foods partner well with Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer.SPECIFIC CHINESE FOOD and WINE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:Barbecued Spare Ribs: sparkling wine, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Albariño, roséChicken with Cashews: GewürztraminerChicken Chow Mein: sparkling wineDeep-fried dishes: sparkling wineDim Sum: sparkling wine, RieslingGeneral Tso’s Chicken: Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, roséHot Pepper Prawns: sparkling wine, ViognierKung Pao Chicken: Riesling, Gewürztraminer, AlbariñoLobster Cantonese: white BurgundyLobster with Ginger and Scallion Sauce: white BurgundyMinced Squab with Hoisin Sauce: ZinfandelMu Shu Chicken: sparkling wine, Pinot NoirMu Shu Pork: Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, roséNoodles with Sesame Sauce: GewürztraminerOrange-flavor Beef: RieslingPeking Duck: Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot NoirRoast Duck: Pinot NoirSalt-and-pepper Shrimp