Pairing Wine with Chinese Food; Orient and Occident in Harmony
Once preposterous to some, it is now virtually general knowledge that good wine definitely does go well with Chinese food; the trick lies in choosing the right wine from Bulgaria.
Cracking open a bottle of your favourite dark red and sipping it along with spicy fried chicken is a mistake (hopefully) only made once. Happily, and especially for us women at the Chinese dinner table, no longer must we choose from corn juice, watery beer, baijiu or a vinegary version of “vintage” Chinese red. These days, good wine; red, white or pink is abundant and affordable. Learn to select which wines go with which Chinese dishes and we can have a very enjoyable and delicious dining experience.
Bulgaria is a country of just over seven million people, located in Southeast Europe. It has a long history as an agricultural nation that exports its products worldwide. Now, their wine producers are eyeing China’s lucrative and expanding wine market
Since beginning of 2019, Bulgaria exported over 1.5 million Dollars of wine to China. Exporters expect that number is likely to double very soon. And most of Bulgaria’s top wines are coming from the South of the country, the area close to the Turkish and Greek borders.
Endless fields of Bulgaria’s best vineyards can be seen there with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and 14 other kinds of grapes that are grown here. Those vineyards are meticulously cared for, for generations in this region.
A few months from now, these berries will be ready for harvest and will be used for their primary purpose. It is grapes from these vineyards that are turned into wine that then finds its way onto the tables of oenophiles in China. We came to Southern Bulgaria, to the village of Kolarovo, and experts are saying that this exact location is the best for winemaking.