For Lunar New Year, These Wines Pair Perfectly

Steamed Whole Fish is a must at any Lunar New Year celebration. The Mandarin word for fish (鱼, pronounced yú) sounds like surplus, and having the whole fish (head and tail included) is thought to symbolize abundance or leftovers to spare for the coming year. To pair, Lin suggests a Grüner Veltliner for its white peppery notes that will compliment the cilantro, scallions and ginger used to prepare the fish.

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People once used dumplings to wrap up their wishes by placing auspicious foods, like sugar cubes for smooth relationships and peanuts for longevity, in the stuffing. “By eating those dumplings, it’s a wish for all of your dreams or wishes to come true in the coming year,” says Lin. Dumplings like these Pork and Cabbage Potstickers are also shaped like the small metal ingots of ancient Chinese currency, making the dish a wish in itself for good fortune and wealth. Serve them alongside something moderate like Pinot Grigio or an unoaked Chardonnay with hints of citrus and stone fruits to bring out the pork’s sweetness and complement the garlic, ginger and sesame in the sauce.

Lion’s Head Meatballs is a classic dish of giant pork meatballs served with vegetables. Also known as “Four Happiness Meatballs,” they symbolize good luck, wealth, longevity and happiness. “It’s a classic dish to have in my family,” says Lin. To pair, she suggests a Pinot Noir or Côtes du Rhône to balance the savory and earthy flavors of the meatball with a bit of fruitiness.

Longevity Noodles (or 伊面, pronounced yī miàn) are a hallmark of many celebrations in Asian households, including the Lunar New Year. The long noodles symbolize longevity and the dish as a whole represents a life long of happiness. To complement the savory shiitake mushrooms and vegetal chive used in this dish, Lin recommends Pinot Noir or Cabernet Franc from Loire Valley. “It won’t overpower noodles and has a good amount of fruit to support the dish.”

Though technically observed in later winter, Lunar New Year is often referred to as the Spring Festival. Some choose to welcome the season with crisp Chinese Spring Rolls meant to symbolize bars of gold for wealth in the coming year. Serve with something refreshing that provides great acidity like a Sparkling Rosé. “Those bubbles will serve as a palate cleanser for the next bite and a new awakening, clearing for a new season,” says Lin.

Turnip Cake is a savory dish that uses radishes and plain rice flour rather than Western-style turnips. Its auspicious meaning plays on the word for “cake,” which sounds like the word for “high” (高, pronounced gōu). “It means climbing step by step, rising steadily in your career path,” says Lin of the cake’s offering of good luck in the year ahead. Serve with a light red like Schiava from Alto Adige or Beaujolais to balance this dish’s umami profile.

“We will always have an abundance of different kinds of fruits for the New Year,” says Lin. Tangerines, oranges, kumquats and apples are typical offerings due to their round shape (representing family reunion) and their golden color that implies fortune and wealth. Now, pairing wine and fruit is challenging. Sweet foods tend to go well with wines of similar notes, so something fruity with citrus notes like an off-dry Chenin Blanc should do the trick.

Tang Yuan is a sweet soup of glutinous rice balls, typically eaten as dessert on the last day of the Lantern Festival as well as other celebrations. Its pronunciation is similar to the Chinese word for reunion (团圆, pronounced tuányuán) and implies togetherness and a sense of completeness. To bring the dish full circle, we suggest something delicate but not overly sweet, like an off-dry Riseling.

Also known as the Chinese New Year Cake, Nian Gao is a steamed rice cake made with glutinous rice cake and brown sugar. Like Turnip Cake, this dish implies higher achievement and prosperity for the coming year. “This auspicious meaning is not only for adults, but also for children too,” shares Lin. “It wishes children would grow taller and receive higher scores in school.” For climbing aspirations, we opt for a Pinot Gris from the mountainous region of Alsace. Its elevated acidity can wash off the stickiness and density of the Nian Gao and pairs nicely with the cake’s ginger and coconut flavors.