Three wines for a Cantonese Meal

(light weight, subtle flavour)

Cantonese cuisine has relatively few challenges. Pungent seafood ingredients clash with tannins while umami-rich soy sauce can make wine taste less fruity and more bitter, so avoid overly acidic or tannic wines (though a trick to bring back the fruitiness is to add a dash of vinegar to a dish).

1. Barone Pizzini Satèn Brut 2014 Franciacorta is both less acidic and less sweet than most champagne, making it a fine choice to complement delicate seafood dishes. A long time on the lees, giving the wine its own umami, subtle oak use and an ultra-fine, delicate mousse (satèn is a lower pressure, blanc de blancs style) all help make its case.

2. Valdesil Godello Sobre Lias 2015 Again, time on lees adds umami to help manage soy-laced dishes. The flavour profile is understated: green apple, fresh cut grass, blanched almond; and the structure is light and linear without being overly acidic, making this a versatile choice to drink throughout a meal.

3. Chateau Mercian Fuefuki Koshu Gris de Gris 2017

For richer, heftier appetisers or roast poultry, the creamy, waxy texture of this “inbetweener” weight is perfect. An evocative nose with cotton flowers, pink grapefruit, dried peach, nutmeg and cedar shavings gives enough interest without overwhelming mild dishes.

Other ideas: Blanc de blancs champagne or cava; chablis (up to Premier Cru level) or muscadet sur lies; Alsace pinot gris or else red Burgundy from Volnay, Savigny and other “elegant” villages.