The vinous virtue of patience

THERE is one word, one attribute, which is very, very important in wine, not only in the wine-making but also in the enjoyment. PATIENCE. When I am told that keeping my cellar at 10 deg C causes the wines to mature slowly, very slowly, I reply "I know. I am a Chinaman, I can wait!" I am reminded time and again of the critical importance of waiting. I was in Chengdu over the weekend (first time ever) and the cuisine was typical Sichuan, very spicy. The spiciness is chiefly due to the liberal use of pepper. I got two lessons about wine pairing from the experience with Sichuan cuisine.

Lesson Number One: the wine's tannins should be soft or have softened, so that the wine is soft and richly ripe, and there should be lots of freshness. Red or white? Either, so long as the basic criteria are fulfilled.

Old or young? Again, not critical. White with seafood red with meat? One would be usually inclined to choose white, in which case I would look for a German Riesling on the dry side, a Kabinett in other words, with sufficient age, at least seven to eight years. I have found reds also suitable so long as the basic criteria outlined above are met. Soft succulent reds with ripe fruit and soft tannins, such as Southern Rhones, Spanish, et al.