Our team are full of delicious recommendations when it comes to pairing Asian flavours with wine. We asked our colleagues across our four Asia offices (Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore) to share some of their favourite regional dishes and the bottles they’ll be uncorking alongside them. Warning: their recommendations will make you hungry.  

Jun Shibata, Marketing Executive, Tokyo 

Izakaya pub favourites with Own Selection Pessac-Léognan 

Japan, while abundant in sunlight, is also an extremely water-rich nation. As its snow-capped peaks gradually melt from spring to summer, this water not only feeds the rice fields, but also nourishes an array of mountain herbs and spices unique to this terrain. Sansho (Japanese pepper) and shiso leaves (known as perilla in the west), all play an important part in seasoning the dishes that grace the tables of Japan’s izakayas by night. It’s hard to believe that beef was only brought to Japan from the West a mere 150 years ago, with it now being a fixture of the national cuisine.  

A more robust cut of beef, seasoned with these Japanese herbs, goes very well with the herbaceous character of certain Bordeaux wines. One of my favourites is shigureni, a beef dish simmered in sweetened soy sauce and ginger. You slowly simmer the beef, enough for the ginger and soy sauce to soak into it, while taking care not to overcook it so the meat retains its bite and texture. Season it with sansho, one shiso leaf and a dash of freshly cut spring onions. It’ll balance beautifully with the plum and cassis notes in our Own Selection Pessac-Léognan. 

Joey Luo, Account Manager, Bangkok  

Sichuan cuisine with Moscato, Lambrusco and Riesling  

As someone from Sichuan, I’m often asked whether the region’s famously spicy food can pair well with wine. With its fiery heat and numbing sensation, the complex combination of flavours, textures, and aromas in Sichuan dishes can make wine pairing a challenge. However, I always encourage people to play around, especially with a multi-course meal, because there are actually plenty of great wine options.  

Let’s start with one of my favorite dishes: Sichuan boiled fish (shui zhu yu) or Sichuan boiled beef (shui zhu niu). This popular Sichuan dish is also my go-to choice when I’m abroad and craving something spicy. While hotpot typically requires a group to enjoy, these two dishes can easily be savoured solo. 

Shui zhu-style dishes are rich in chillies and Sichuan peppercorns, which, in my opinion, are the heart of any authentic Sichuan dish. The peppercorns have a unique, almost addictive fragrance and create that signature numbing sensation. 

When pairing wine, it’s important to remember a few principles: sweetness can help temper the heat, while youthful, fruity wines work well because their dryness and subtle sweetness complement the aromatic complexity of Sichuan flavors. Wines with bubbles or good acidity can also refresh your palate between bites. 

Given these guidelines, there are plenty of great options. Moscato or Lambrusco, with their lightly sweet bubbles, can help calm the spice. German Riesling, such as our off-dry Mosel Riesling or Weingut Robert Weil’s dry Trocken, would be my go-to bottles for a casual Sichuan food night. If you prefer red wine, opt for a young, fruity wine like a Chilean Merlot.  

Darren Lee, Account Manager, Singapore  

Eva Fricke Riesling with Cantonese dim sum 

Fans of German Rieslings may be familiar with Eva Fricke, a superstar producer of dry Rieslings in Rheingau. I had the opportunity to taste her 2023 release of Rheingau, Kiedrich and Schlossberg in our Singapore office just last month and was particularly fond of the Kiedrich, a village-level dry Riesling. It has complex tropical fruits on the nose, citrus peel on the palate and a touch of salinity on the finish – a very well-balanced expression.  

This will be a delightful match for the delicate flavours and textures of dim sum. Imagine yourself in a bustling Cantonese restaurant enjoying a variety of dim sum paired with a refreshing glass of dry Riesling – a perfect afternoon for me. 

Har gow (steamed prawn dumplings) first comes to mind. The wine’s crisp acidity cuts through the richness of the shrimp filling, while its citrus notes and minerality enhance the natural sweetness and subtle umami notes of the shrimp. 

Consider also pairing it with siu mai (steamed dumplings with pork and shrimp filling). The acidity of the wine balances the savoury richness of the pork and shrimp filling, while its citrus notes complement the ginger and spring onion accents. 

My favourite pairing is with char siu bao (steamed bun filled with barbecued pork), a Singapore office favourite that a colleague always buys for the team for breakfast. With its rich, sweet-savoury flavours, char siu bao are best complemented by a refreshing dry Riesling for a perfectly balanced gastronomic experience. 

Jonathan Leung, Account Manager, Hong Kong  

Chaozhou cuisine with Champagne, Burgundy and more  

Chaozhou cuisine really stands out in the Guangdong culinary scene, and as someone who’s half Chaozhou, I can’t get enough of it. Located along the coast, Chaozhou in Guangdong is known not just for its mountain delicacies but also for its incredible seafood.  

First up is the Chaozhou oyster omelette, a true local classic that I always order. The crispy base is made from a mix of tapioca and wheat flour, and it’s packed with spring onions, coriander, pepper, fish sauce, and of course, the star of the show: fresh mini oysters. Fried to perfection, the omelette is both crispy and chewy, while the half-cooked oysters are sweet and briny with a wonderful minerality. For this dish, I’d recommend the 2017 Leclerc Briant Abyss Brut Zero, which has a refreshing acidity and bubbles that cut through the richness of the fried dish. Its minerality complements the oysters beautifully, making it a fantastic pairing.  

Next, we have Chaozhou braised foie gras. Unlike the French pan-seared version, Chaozhou foie gras is known for its delicate texture with a pink hue. Soaked in a flavourful braising liquid with spices like Sichuan pepper, star anise, cinnamon, licorice, and dried tangerine peel, it’s aromatic without being heavy. To match such rich flavors, I suggest a multi-layered wine like a Burgundy Premier Cru, particularly the 2018 Camille Giroud Chambolle-Musigny Les Borniques, which boasts plenty of fruit and sweet spices. Another great option is the spice-forward 2010 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino: with its balanced tannins and acidity, it reveals dried fruit, tangerine peel and olive notes – an exceptional pairing. 

For a modern twist, some contemporary Chaozhou dishes soak the foie gras in whisky, resulting in a tender and smooth texture with a delightful malt aroma. Pair it with the rich, fruity 2008 Berry Bros. & Rudd Balmenach from Speyside for a truly exceptional combination.