Ma po dou fu is a Chinese classic. There are two versions: the Shanghainese dish has no minced meat but is laden with diced preserved vegetables for contrasting crunchiness; Taiwanese ma po dou fu can be fiercely hot, with minced meat. It's the quality of the bean curd that makes the dish. Soft silky white bean curd cubes in rich gravy topped with glistening chilli oil stimulate both the palate and the stomach. The wine needs to respect the texture of the velvety bean curd and at the same time have flavour richness to compete with the spices. The best wine also needs to be moderate in the use of oak. Veuve Clicquot Rich Reserve 1998, Champagne, France Champagne is one of the most versatile wines with food. It's great with everything from sushi and sashimi to rich, creamy savoury mousses and certain desserts. The Veuve Clicquot Rich Reserve is deliberately lightly sweet. It's the combination of this grape sweetness, palate-scrubbing bubbles and the chilled serving temperature that make this an unusual but tasty match for ma po dou fu. The fine mousse caresses the creamy bean curd, while the balanced sweetness adds a refreshing edge to the mildly spicy dish. Try this with cold bean curd with thousand-year-old egg. Available for $628 from Riche Monde (tel: 2976 1888) Pinot Gris, Rex Goliath 2004, California In the world of over-priced pinot gris, this Rex Goliath is one of the best on the shelves. It's pure fruit. Pinot gris snobs may sniff at the slightly warmer than classic origin, but it just means it has lots of crowd-pleasing flavours. The palate is thick and creamy, which works well with ma po dou fu. The lively fruit adds depth, while the wine's gentle roundness softens the chilli spice. Try this also with another Shanghainese classic, crispy shredded beef with sesame pockets. Available for $125 from Golden Gate Wine (tel: 2891 8121) Semillon, Burge Family Olive Hill 2001, Barossa Valley, South Australia The Burge name is synonymous with the Barossa Valley. The Burge Family winemakers shouldn't be confused with Grant Burge wines. They're cousins pursuing different goals. This Barossa semillon combines depth, richness and finesse with the ability to age. It has hints of fresh lemon and some restrained buttery aromas. It's only moderately oaked to allow the fruit to really shine, and is well balanced with a long finish. Its natural acidity will add liveliness to ma po dou fu. The wine and the bean curd both have a silky texture that extends each other. It will also go well with soup dumplings. Available for $298 from Altaya (tel: 2523 1945) simon@iwinecentre.com
