Valencia supplies fitting chaperone for rice
main varieties are Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for reds and rose, and Macabeo, Merseguera, Malvasia, Chardonnay and Semillon for whites.
Varieties:
In Spain, DO stands for Denominacio de Origen and is basically equivalent to Italy’s DOC/DOCG system.
Key term:
wines. The past decade has seen the greatest progress, with Valencia wines starting to make a name for themselves outside of Spain. Many of the best vineyards have old vines and are situated at elevations ranging from 500 to 1,000 meters above sea level.
The climates vary from the Mediterranean coast to the continental inland, with drought and heat frequently providing challenges to growers. Temperatures routinely exceed 40 degrees Celsius during the late growing season. However, when Mother Nature cooperates, the wines of Valencia can be some of the most intriguing of Spain and a wonderful new discovery for wine lovers.
Personally, I favor the fruity, spicy and supple Monestrell and Garnacha rose and reds along with the aromatic, fresh and textured Malvasia whites, but increasing fine and distinguished Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Semillon wines are also being made. A small amount of excellent Cava is also produced.
Finding the wines of Valencia in Shanghai certainly presents a challenge, but one top producer is in the process of entering the market. Clos de Lom is a fourth-generation familyowned estate making fine wines since 1950. Their 100 percent Malvasia white is a fragrant and intense wine with lovely apple, peach and lychee flavors, a perfect companion to rice-based seafood dishes.
The Clos de Lom Garnacha and Tempranillo reds both offer excellent varietal typicity with typical fruitiness and well-integrated tannins. All three wines showcase the ability of the Valencia DO to produce top flight wines that reflect their unique terrior.
Other Valencia producers with wines available in Shanghai include Torre Mitica, Mennu Lunne and Vina Inigo. When purchasing Valencia wines in Shanghai, I suggest keeping to recent vintages.
Ending this year and well into 2020, I look forward to enjoying the wines of Valencia with a wide range of delicious Chinese rice dishes.
However, should you favor an ancient style of wine that has even more historic affinities to rice, then there’s another synergistic option that’s closer to home and easier to find.
Rice dishes accompanied by rice wines is an eminently simple and digestible solution. The oldest archeological evident of rice wines dates back to Yangshao Culture 6,000 years ago. Many historians speculate that the first fermented rice wine may well have been brewed even earlier.
Throughout the ages, Chinese chefs embraced and liberally used fermented rice wines to embellish many of the Middle Kingdom’s most celebrated dishes. These rice wines have long been used as an ingredient enhancer as well as a beverage companion. This is especially true of the most acclaimed of all rice wines, Shaoxing wine.
The highly aromatic and velvety textured Shaoxing wines improve with age and the 10, 20 or 30 year-old versions are wonderful cohorts to a wide range of Chinese rice and other dishes.
Some of the most reputable producers of Shaoxing wine are Gu Yue Long Shan, Tu Shao Jiu, Di Ju Tang and Kuai Ji Shan. Some traditionalists favor Shaoxing served at room temperature, but to optimize food-friendliness I suggest serving these wines slightly chilled, or about 12-14 degrees Celsius.