Shunyi Cellars Chardonnay with Stir-Fried Shredded Pork with Yellow Chives【新年餐酒搭配特輯：舜裔相思，情長韭】
Food：
Stir-Fried Shredded Pork with Yellow Chives
Wine of my choice：
Shunyi Cellars “Xiang Si” Thinking of You Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands California 🇺🇸 2019
Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture. Most people will go back to their hometown and celebrate Lunar New Year with all the family members. Due to my work schedule, I haven’t been back home to celebrate Lunar New Year with my family for several years. Since the pandemic is still raging across the globe, going back to Taiwan for Lunar New Year is put on hold again this year. I’m sure for many people where the family gatherings are not going to happen this year. But looking at the bright side of things, thanks to technology, at least now we can still see each other through the internet. It’s way better than hundred years ago, right?
We always celebrate Lunar New Year with friends if we don’t go back to Taiwan, but this year would be different. It will just be my husband and me. In order to cheer everyone up and ourselves, we decided to make dishes that have with great metaphoric meanings and pair wine with them. In the mean time, I’d like to take this opportunity and wish everybody a happy Lunar New Year.
I decided I would select the wine first, then find a dish that would pair well with the wine. I ended up choosing “Xiang Si”, a chardonnay, produced by Shunyi Cellars, a newly established wine producer in California. We tried several new years themed traditional dishes without resounding success. Some flavor profiles just didn’t quite sync up with the wine. Finally, we paired Stir-Fried Shredded Pork with Yellow Chives with “Xiang Si” Chardonnay and it worked out just perfectly. Comparing with the regular Chinese chives, the yellow chives are grown without light, therefore no chlorophyll is produced. The flavor of yellow chives is milder and sweeter with tender texture. In addition, the pronunciation of chives in Chinese sounds similar to “lasting”. It symbolizes the friendship between people would last forever as well as the happiness. We hope to share our blessings with you and wish every family could get together after the pandemic.
The Grape: Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a well-known international white grape variety. It is grown in many wine regions all over the world. Chardonnay originated in Burgundy, France. The earliest reliable mention of Chardonnay was found in the village of La Roche-Vineuse of Saône-et-Loire in 1685-1690. The variety takes its name from the village of Chardonnay in the Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy.
According to DNA parentage analysis, Chardonnay is a cross between Pinot and Gouais Blanc. It’s a variety that buds and ripen early. Chardonnay is easy to grow, as it can adapt to cool climate regions like Chablis and Champagne or in the warmer climate zones such as Mendoza, Argentina and south California, USA.
The characteristics of Chardonnay vary due to where it is grown. Take cool climate Chardonnay for instance, it displays more green and unripe fruits aromas and citrus notes with high acidity. On the contrary, the flavors of Chardonnay from moderate and warmer regions would lean more towards to fleshy ripe fruits, such as white peach, melon and tropical fruits.
Chardonnay is categorized as a non-aromatic variety if compared to Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. Therefore, with different winemaking techniques, Chardonnay serves as a blank canvas for winemakers to paint their ideal Chardonnay in mind. Chardonnay can not only be made into still white but also a great source for making Champagne or sparkling wine.
Shunyi Cellars ‘Xiang Si’ Chardonnay
The Producer: Shunyi Cellars
Shunyi Cellars, established in the summer of 2019, is a relatively young winery located in California.
George Zhang, the founder of Shunyi Cellars, was born and raised in Jinan, the capital city of Shandon Province of China. George and his parents immigrated to the United States in 2000. George was fascinated by the complexity of the wine when he was introduced to fine wine at his first job in the banking history.
The thoughts of having his own winery and making wine has become a dream since then. After a few years of preparation, George met Byron Kosuge, a well-established winemaker who has 30 years’ experience in winemaking.
Specializing in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Mr. Kosuge has been making wine for several renowned wineries in California for the past 30 years, including Saintsbury, Miura and McIntyre Vineyards as well as a project in Casablanca, Chile, called Kingston Family Vineyard. George and Mr. Kosuge share the same vision of wanting to make wine that truly express the terroir of California, hence, Mr. Kosuge came on board and started to make wine for Shunyi Cellars.
While talking with George, he mentioned how the name of the winery came about. He said, “According to legend, Shun was one of the greatest emperor of ancient China. Before becoming an emperor, Shun was a farmer growing rice in my hometown, Jinan. Today, the Chinese people remember and celebrate Shun as a role model for humility, kindness and integrity. Yi means ‘descendant’ in Chinese. The residents of Jinan, including me, are proud to be called descendants of Shun or Shunyi. And that’s the reason why I named the winery ‘Shunyi’ in honor of where I’m from and the Chinese culture.”
Even though Shunyi Cellars just begin their journey, I was impressed by George’s perseverance and belief. He said, “I hope some day in the future, I can pass down the winery to my daughter even though she is only one and half year old now.” I do believe, one day, Shuyi Cellars will shine in the American wine industry and has its own place.
“Xiang Si” Chardonnay is the inaugural vintage of Shunyi Cellars that just released to the market a weeks ago. “Xiang Si” in Chinese means thinking of you. “Naming our Chardonnay ‘Xiang Si has a deeper meaning. We wanted to dedicate this wine to our families and friends who have been guiding and supporting us along the challenging yet exciting journey.” George gracefully described.
How is ‘Xiang Si’ made and what does it taste like?
‘Xiang Si’ is made from 100 % Chardonnay from Mclntyre Vineyard, regards as “sweet spot” located in the middle of Santa Lucia Highlands. The wine goes through spontaneous fermentation and maturation in barrels. Minimum manual intervention is applied during winemaking progress.
Delicate straw yellow color shines through the glassware. Right away, the aromas of orange blossom and honeysuckle rise up from the glass. Scents of ripe yellow peach, candy coated apricot and toasted walnut can be picked up as you continue to experience the fragrance. Opulent fruit notes of pineapple, mango, and preserved kumquat appears on the palate. Round mouthfeel with nutmeg, cedar, and uplifted acidity, “Xiang Si” is elegant with a passionate soul. While sipping this Chardonnay, I can definitely see the vision of Shunyi Cellars that George and Mr. Kosuge wanted to achieve.
Pairing ‘Xiang Si’ Chardonnay with Stir-Fried Shredded Pork with Yellow Chives
In addition to yellow chives and shredded pork, red bell pepper and zucchini are used for adding color and depth of flavors to the dish. The sauce is made with soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, white peppers, sesame oil, and sugar to bind all the ingredients together and give additional flavors. The aroma of yellow chives is not as pungent as the green chives; the texture is softer, too. Yellow chives contain the aromas and flavors of earthiness and umami as the dried mushrooms do.
These elements work wonderfully with “Xiang Si” Chardonnay. The subtle oak notes match with the earthiness of the yellow chives, too. The bright acidity of Chardonnay brings out the sweetness of the pork. The affluent fruit notes of Chardonnay compliment the sweetness of the red bell pepper and zucchini. I really enjoy this pairing whereas both food and wine shine individually and together.
I hope you get to try this pairing during Lunar New Year. Wish everyone a prosperous year of the Ox.
Where to buy “Xiang Si” Chardonnay: Click Here
＊Don’t miss the Lunar New Year special deal provided by Shunyi Cellars. Enter the promo code CNY2021 and enjoy free ground shipping for four bottles or more.
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【新年餐酒搭配特輯：舜裔相思，情長韭】
韭黃炒肉絲配舜裔酒莊 「相思」 夏多內
餐點：
韭黃炒肉絲
餐酒：
舜裔酒莊 「相思」 夏多內 Santa Lucia Highlands California USA 🇺🇸 2019
年關將至，再過一個星期就是農曆新年了。長期旅居國外，因為工作的關係也有好些年沒有在農曆年節時返鄉過節。今年的情況則更為特殊。在新冠肺炎疫情不見好轉的情況下，相信今年有更多的家庭無法一起過節，只能選擇線上連線或電話拜年的方式過農曆新年。雖說以這樣的方式過節，少了很多年味，但遙想以前只能靠書信寄與思念、傳達平安的時代，能用這樣的方式與遠方的家人、朋友見面，對我來說，已經是最好的方法。
往年，都會在農曆新年時和三五好友聚餐。今年，沒有辦法與大家相聚，只有我和先生一起過了！既然無法和家人、朋友一起過節，過年的儀式感可不能少。和大廚先生商量好了，一起來做個具有寓意的年節餐酒搭配獻給大家，給大家打打氣，並跟大家拜個早年。祝福大家牛年吉祥、牛轉乾坤、鴻運當牛。
這個單元，我們與一個新創的加州酒莊：舜裔酒莊合作，特地的選擇了這瓶「相思」夏多內做餐搭。為了找到可以與之匹配的菜餚，我們可是煞費苦心，做了好些嘗試。終於在這道「韭黃炒肉絲」中，見了閃光，找到了完美的餐酒搭配。韭黃是韭菜通過培土、遮光覆蓋等的方式，在不見光的環境下經軟化栽陪後而生產的黃化韭菜。韭黃也算是冬令蔬菜中的上上品。冬天的韭黃是特別鮮美。自古以來，韭菜便有長久菜、長生草的別稱。在這裡取其諧音，久財，有著財富長久之意，也是對人與人之間祈求天長地久，幸福、快樂能恆長久遠的一種想願。希望藉由「韭黃炒肉絲」這道菜搭配「相思」夏多內：「人因相思，情長韭（酒）」的餐酒搭配來表達對家人、朋友的思念。希望疫情結束後，大家都能與思念的人團聚，話家常。
葡萄品種：夏多內（Chardonnay）
夏多內是國際知名的釀酒白葡萄品種，在全球許多重要的葡萄酒產區，都能找到它的蹤跡。夏多內源自於法國的勃根地產區。有關夏多內最早而且有根據的文獻記載是在法國1685-90年時，座落於Saône-et-Loire的 La Roche-Vineuse村莊中發現的。夏多內名字的由來是取自於位在勃根地Mâconnais 產區的一個名為Chardonnay 的村莊。
根據釀酒葡萄DNA的報告， Chardonnay 是由Pinot 與 Gouais Blanc 這兩種葡萄自然雜交後，孕育而生的葡萄品種。Chardonnay 是屬於早發芽早熟型的葡萄品種，其適應力強，無論是在 Chablis 與 Champagne 這樣寒冷地區或是在較溫暖的阿根廷門都薩及美國南加等等的產區，都可以找到夏多內的身影。
也因此，在不同氣候環境下生長的夏多內，釀出來的酒也大不相同。例如，在氣候寒冷的地區所種植的夏多內，大多帶有青澀、未成熟水果的風味及柑橘的的芳香，酸度也比較高。生長在氣候較為溫暖的夏多內則賦有較多成熟水果的果香，像是白桃、甜瓜、及熱帶水果的香氣。
與麗思玲相比，夏多內被歸類為非芳香性的葡萄品種，也因為如此，夏多內的可塑性極高，無論是放在鋼筒，水泥槽或是橡木桶中釀造，其表現力也會隨之改變。
有人形容夏多內就像一塊白色的畫布，是可以讓釀酒師盡其所能的以它為載體，恣意地揮灑，釀出屬於他們心目中理想的風格。夏多內不僅能作成干型白酒，也是釀製香檳或氣泡酒很重要的葡萄品種之一。
舜裔酒莊首批公開販售的葡萄酒「相思」 夏多內
酒莊：舜裔酒莊
舜裔酒莊是一個相當年輕的加州酒莊，成立於2019年的夏天。
創辦人 George Zhang 在中國的濟南出生，長大。2000年時，隨著父母移民到了美國加州。開始工作後，George 有機會接觸到了葡萄酒，他立即被葡萄酒的博大精深給深深吸引。想要成立屬於自己的酒莊的心願便在他心中悄悄的萌芽。
經過多年的籌備，尋覓及探訪後，George 終於找到了志同道合的美籍日裔釀酒師 Byron Kosuge 來為舜裔酒莊釀酒。Byron Kosuge 擁有超過30年的釀酒經驗，先後在加州幾個知名的酒莊擔任釀酒師，像是 Saintsbury, Miura and McIntyre Vineyards ，也在智利的卡薩布蘭卡 Kingston Family Vineyard 擔任釀酒要職。最擅長釀造夏多內與黑皮諾。
Kosuge 先生為人低調，鮮少接受訪問，默默地在其專業領域上耕耘鑽研，致力追求並創造只屬於新世界產區的「新傳統」釀酒法。
與George 訪談時，他提及了舜裔酒莊名字的由來。他說：『中國古代帝王「舜」是來自於濟南，也是我的家鄉。舜最為後人所推崇的便是他的謙遜、仁慈與正直。而「裔」指的則是後世子孫。在濟南，人人都以被稱做是舜的後代為榮，而我將酒莊取名為舜裔，除了勉勵自己一直以謙遜、仁慈與正直來經營我的事業，更以作為舜的後代為榮。』
雖然舜裔酒莊還處於剛剛起步的階段，但在我與 George 訪談時，他眉宇之間透露出的堅毅信念，令人印象深刻。他還說：「希望這個事業能傳給他的女兒，成為代代相傳的家族企業。」相信，有朝一日，在廣大的美國葡萄酒市場裡，一定有舜裔酒莊的一席之地。
介紹完了酒莊，終於要來品嘗這瓶舜裔「相思」夏多內了。「相思」是舜裔酒莊的首批公開販售的葡萄酒之一。這款葡萄酒命名為「相思」除了字面上的意義之外（思念你愛及關心的人），還有更深一層的寓意。『我們希望透過「相思」來感謝一路上支持舜裔酒莊的家人與朋友們。對於你們的支持，在舜裔酒莊工作的同仁定會時常銘記在心。』George 感性地說著。
「人因相思，情長韭」餐酒搭配組合/ 非常適合做為農曆年節菜品
成熟高雅、自然內斂的「相思」風味
「相思」是使用來自於 Santa Lucia Highlands AVA中的黃金地段 Mclntyre Vineyard 的夏多內而釀造的。葡萄酒在木桶裡完成自然發酵及熟成。製作的過程中以最少的人工干預做成了這款只屬於Santa Lucia Highlands 在地風味的夏多內。
「相思」在杯中透著淡雅的麥稈黃，湊近一聞，悠然雅緻的黃白花束的芬芳徐徐在杯中開展; 成熟而芳香的黃桃，裹著糖衣的杏桃及剛剛烘烤好的核桃香，井然有序地展現其風采。
淺嚐一口，熱帶水果的甜美立即佔滿整個口腔。 鳳梨、芒果、金桔蜜餞再加上蜂蜜，一場熱鬧的熱帶水果嘉年華，就此展開。圓潤的口感挾著若有似無的肉豆蔻、雪松，再加上令人齒頰生津的平衡酸度，這款「相思」飲來，是以高雅之姿示人，但卻暗藏著濃烈的情感於內。品飲這款夏多內時，我看到了George 想傳達的心意，也感受到了Kosuge 先生成熟內化，秉持對自我堅持與要求的釀酒風格。
「相思」夏多內與韭黃炒肉絲的超完美契合度
大廚 Bruce 做的這道韭黃炒肉絲，除了韭黃與豬肉絲為主要食材外，還添了紅椒絲及擳瓜絲增色。調味料以醬油、蠔油、紹興酒、白胡椒、麻油及糖為底，做成鹹香有味的韭黃炒肉絲。韭黃的風味與香氣跟韭菜比起來是淡雅許多，經過烹煮後，吃起來的味道與乾香菇非常類似，具有鮮味、酯味及土質氣息。與「相思」夏多內搭配起來，其契合度是好的沒話說。微微的桶香與韭黃的香氣搭在一起真的是無比般配。酸爽而帶勁的酸度解了肉絲的膩，還提出了豬肉的鮮甜。紅椒與擳瓜的鮮美對上夏多內芬芳的果香是襯托彼此，相互幫襯。
我對這次餐酒搭配的結果非常的滿意，達到了我所預期的效果。真心推薦給大家。希望大家在過年時都能動手做做看，試試這個餐酒搭配。期許牛年，大家都幸福健康，長長久久。
＊「相思」夏多內 這裡買
＊舜裔酒莊特別推出年節限定優惠：買滿4瓶或4 瓶以上，皆能享受免運費！機會難得，敬請把握。折扣碼在此：CNY2021
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