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There are many paths to becoming an oenophile. For Seung Hee Lee, co-author of Everyday Korean, the similarities between wine aromas and those found in traditional Korean food are what stirred an interest. While you might be tempted to reach for beer or soju to round out your Korean meal, Lee says wine often makes the best match.
“If you think about Korean flavors as being as varied as cheese, then it’s easier to pair with wine,” she says. Here, she shares some of her favorite Korean-inflected dishes and accompanying pours.
Kimchi Mac and Cheese
This recipe pairs the classic comfort food with the fermented, garlicky flavors of kimchi. Lee recommends a wine with a little bit of funk. “A superlight red that’s slightly carbonic, slightly funky and easy to drink would be great with this,” she says. “A skin-contact white or orange wine works great, too.”
Wine Pairings
Matassa 2015 Cuvée Marguerite Blanc (Vin de France)
Donkey & Goat 2015 Lily’s Pet Nat Chardonnay (Anderson Valley)
Gochujang-Cured Pork Belly
Rubbing and roasting pork belly with gochujang (a fermented chili paste) creates a spicy-sweet protein that would be the star of any barbecue spread. “Northern Italian reds with high acidity pair really well with this, or a Champagne,” says Lee.
Wine Pairings
Dufour Par Charles 2009 La Pulpe et La Grain Part 3 (Champagne)
Braida di Giacomo Bologna 2014 Monte Bruna (Barbera d’Asti)
Kimchi Pancakes
Adding kimchi to small pancakes creates an appetizer with great flavor. When you pick a wine, opt for bubbles, says Lee. “A pét-nat with bubbles mimics the bubbles that naturally happen in kimchi fermentation,” she says.
Wine Pairings
Frantz Saumon NV La Cave se Rebiffe Rosé (Vin de France)
Scar of the Sea 2015 Amuse Shandon Hills Vineyard Methode Ancestrale Chardonnay (Central Coast)
Grilled Salmon with Gochujang Mayo
Combine gochujang with mayonnaise and serve it on salmon for a dish with enough richness to pair with a light red wine, says Lee. “I would pair the salmon with a high-altitude Pinot Noir,” she says. The fruitiness will play well with the savory, sweet and slightly spicy flavors of the gochujang.
Wine Pairings
Les Vins Pirouettes 2015 Glouglou Le Pinot Noir d’Hubert & Christian (Alsace)
Stadlmann 2015 Classic Pinot Noir (Thermenregion)
Published: June 13, 2018
