Emergency Food/Wine pairing

Do you have a gewürtztraminer handy? I'm not guaranteeing that it would work but, depending on what kind of other spices you are using, it would be worth considering. A riesling might work as well, depending on the style.

Vino To reply, add "x" between letters and numbers of e-mail address.

Beer, since you have no Riesling or Gewurtz...

-- Robert

Hey Vino, Thanks for the reply. I was rummaging around in my cellar and, sad to say, I don't have any Gewurtz or Riesling. The "Kung Pao" beef stir-fry is pretty spicy. We've done the same stir-fry using chicken and paired it with a Chenin Blanc - very good. But with beef ... ? Maybe we can use a good California Zin that goes with everything!? :-)

Time's a wasting, so maybe I'll open a bottle or three and see what goes best. A thankless job, but somebody has to it.

Full report ... eventually, Thanks Dick

Hi Robert, If I was having this dish in a restaurant I would choose a bottle of Tsing Tao (is that right?). I think you're right though, when everything else fails, grab a good beer. This is getting very complicated and, after all the sampling, I don't know if I'll be able to get up and go to work tomorrow. :-) Thanks for the suggestion, Dick

I love big California Zins and a few years ago when I was in a Ridge frenzy, I drank various Ridge bottlings with all sorts of stuff. My conclusion was that a big, full, fruity zin can stand up to all sort of abuse. That includes BBQ, Mexican, pizza, lamb, pork loin, almost anything but fish. (Although it did tolerably well on a hot summer evening with a crab Louis.) It's become my generic fall-back wine if a pairing doesn't jump right out at me.

I wouldn't do Riesling, but a dry Alsace Gewurz could do the job next time. .

Ed Rasimus Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret) "When Thunder Rolled" Smithsonian Institution Press ISBN #1-58834-103-8

I too use zin as a default wine when I'm at a loss for ideas. My only concern would be over a high alcohol zin because the heat from the kung pao can make the zin a real monster.

Hi Ed, You seem to be another "Zin enthusiast" (I knew that already). :-) The best Zin I have is a Cline Ancient Vines Contra Costa 1997. I think you've given me an excuse to open that sucker!

Thanks, and full amateur tasting report ... eventually. Dick

When I suggested gewürtztraminer and, possibly, riesling, I considered suggesting zin but did not for exactly the reason you state. Spicy foods and big zins, for me anyway, make for a situation where 2 + 2 3.

Vino To reply, add "x" between letters and numbers of e-mail address.

I am a Zinfanatic also. I just finished a Rafanelli with dinner. I do Kung Pao all the time ( not beef very often ). The thing to remember is that you are going to be clearing your pallet with steamed white rice I hope. There are a lot of wines you can drink after the white rice but you absolutely don't want something hot or acidic that is going to bring back the chili pepper before your next bite of Kung Pao. I would say stay with a medium boy white and work on how much more power you could add in the wine match.

Sometimes I have a "Eureka!" moment. Since I almost always lean to a red rather than white, it suddenly occurred to me that the hot Kung Pao might be offset by a nicely chilled cru Beaujolais. Brouilly or Fleurie come to mind. It fits a lot of the issues that have been raised--not a big alcohol heater, cool on the tongue, stands up to the spice, not cloyingly or contrastingly sweet. Yeahhhhh, that's the ticket.

Ed Rasimus Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret) "When Thunder Rolled" Smithsonian Institution Press ISBN #1-58834-103-8

That's called "thinking outside of the box". Good work!

Vino To reply, add "x" between letters and numbers of e-mail address.

Probably too late. But Bonny Doon Pacific Riesling would be perfect.

Rich R.