Braised suckling pig with fermented bean paste is not only fantastically tasty, it's also economical, because it's usually made from leftover, no-longer-crisp suckling pig. It's a hearty, soulful combination, with the suck- ling pig forming a solid flavour platform. The roasting process gives the dish a deep flavour that allows it to link up and take advantage of the equally deep, brown colour and richness of the fermented bean paste. This dish should be accompanied by a wine that is secure about its fruit integrity and has a healthy balance.
Grace Vineyard Deep Blue 2008, China
Chateau Musar single-handedly put Lebanese wines on the map and Grace Vineyard did the same for China. Grace produces a wide range of wines at various price points. The entry-level specimens are reliable and pleasing, and nobody would guess they're from China. The Chairman selection is international in style but this Deep Blue is the one to watch. Last year, it won the best Chinese wine award at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition. It is deep red, not blue, and oozes fruit and subtle oak. It has a lovely feel in the mouth that begs to be paired with hearty food. It's a heart-warming wine that is delicious now and will be so for the next 10 years.
Available for HK$368 at Grace Vineyard (tel: 2305 3308)
Conte Loredan Gasparini - Venegazzu Capo di Stato IGT 2005, Veneto, Italy
The wine world is not as simple or predictable as it was 20 years ago. Winemakers are flying back and forth between the world's producer regions, applying their influence. Climates are changing and so are our tastes and expectations. Bordeaux blends are a dime-a-dozen and most of them should be labelled simply 'dry red', because they are not good expressions of the main cabernet grape. This bordeaux blend from north of Venice, in the Montello mountain range, however, rewrites the book on top cabernets. It's a delicious wine and something to stump your friends with in a blind tasting. It's a good accompaniment for braised suckling pig and, in particular, the complex fermented bean paste, with layer after layer of flavour wrapped in a thin film of silk and velvet. Simply irresistible.