Chinese dumplings that are made with pork, Baicai (Chinese/Napa cabbage), minced shallots and fresh ginger pair best with light red wines and tart and refreshing white wines.

Dumplings are often accompanied by a dipping sauce made from a blend of soy sauce, hot Chilli flakes, Jiaozi vinegar, and sesame oil. The savoury flavours of this dipping sauce love the earthiness of Pinot Noir and Beaujolais.  Meanwhile, acidic white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc or sparkling wine cut through the stickiness of this dipping sauce.

Best Wine with Asian Dumplings

Sauvignon Blanc

Pros:

  • Acidic – Cuts through fats and salt

  • Refreshing – lemon, grapefruit, gooseberry

  • Easy to find

Cons:

  • Will burn if sauce is too spicy

Sauvignon Blanc is a bright white wine with a tart citrus flavour that dances across your tongue. Sauvignon Blanc can hold up to the pork and ginger flavours, while the acidity is a perfect foil to the saltiness of any soy sauce-based dipping sauce you are using.

Off-Dry Riesling

Pros:

  • Sweetness counterbalances heat

  • Refreshing – citrus, peach, pear

  • Easy to find (may not be offered by the glass at a restaurant though)

Cons:

  • Not everyone loves Wines with a bit of Sweetness

An Off Dry Riesling is another acidic wine that can handle the saltiness of soy sauce used to dip your dumplings in. Full of apricot and apple notes, Riesling is an instant hit with dumplings stuffed with pork. The crisp flavours of Riesling are perfect for sweeping any pungent cabbage and ginger flavours away in between bites of delicious steamed dumplings.

I prefer an off-dry Riesling with Asian Dumplings as the slight sweetness of the wine cuts down any heat that could be found in the dipping sauce or dumpling.  The tiny bit of sugar also jives well with the ginger component.

If you can not stand any sort of sweetness in your white wine, a Dry version of Riesling will pair just as well, assuming the Dumplings are not overly spicy.  Dry wines can make hot foods taste even hotter.

Gewurztraminer

Pros:

  • Spicy – Complements Ginger

  • Rich and Velvety – Lychee, Rose, Peach, Apricot

  • Loves Asian Cuisine – Pairs well with additional Asian Dishes

Cons:

  • Not for everyone’s Tastes – Gewürztraminer is to Pinot Grigio like an IPA is to Coors Lite.

Gewurztraminer is a full-bodied white wine with notes of apple and apricot and a delightful spice finish that pairs up perfectly with any ginger in your dumplings. A French Gewurztraminer is much too bold and robust for Chinese Dumplings (especially if they are steamed), however North American Gewurztraminer make for a perfect fit.

Gewurztraminer isn’t something I’d call a crowd pleaser either.  If you’re used to the light flavours of Pinot Grigio, the highly aromatic flavours of Gewurztraminer might knock you on your butt.

Beaujolais

Pros:

  • Acidic – Cuts through fats and salt

  • Refreshing – cherry, raspberry, strawberry

  • Inexpensive & Low in Alcohol

  • A touch Earthy, complements Soy Sauce

Cons:

  • White Wine tastes better with ginger and cabbage.

  • Pinot Noir is a better pairing but is twice as expensive.

With Dumplings, you need to stick to light and acidic reds with no tannin, as even though Dumplings pack a lot of flavour, the flavours aren’t overly strong and can be crushed by heavy red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Beaujolais Villages is light and bright red wine full of fruity flavours like raspberry, cherry, strawberry and plum.  You’ll also find notes of spice, earth and mineral which complements the soy sauce.   Pinot Noir is another red wine that will pair well with Asian Dumplings, and will make for a better pairing, however, expect to pay more than double the cost of a Beaujolais Villages.

Champagne

Pros:

  • Acidic – Cuts through fats and salt

  • Complementary – Bready, Smoke, Ginger

  • Refreshing – Citrus, Pear, Peach, Honey

Cons:

  • Expensive – but you can go with cheaper options like Prosecco or Cava

  • Once you open the bottle, you need to drink it all

Champagne, or sparkling wine is perfect for dumplings that are being dipped into a sauce containing a lot of vinegar. Champagne is high in acidity, so it has no issues holding up to the sharp vinegar bite of a dipping sauce. Meanwhile, the bubbly Champagne flavours easily wash the strong ginger, pork and cabbage flavours away. Let’s not forget about that dumpling shell itself, where the faint bready aromas of Champagne complement the starchy dumpling shell.