Chinese New Year Food & Wine Pairings: A Guide to the CNY Feast
The best Chinese New Year wine pairings balance acidity, freshness and fruit with the dish’s richness, spice and seasoning. Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines are versatile choices for popular CNY dishes such as dumplings, steamed fish, spring rolls, noodles and turnip cake.
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most important celebrations across Chinese communities around the world. And while the holiday brings red lanterns, new clothes, family gatherings and plenty of traditions, there is one thing that arguably gets the most attention: the food.
CNY dishes aren't just delicious. Many carry symbolic meanings linked to prosperity, wealth, longevity and good fortune.
Dumplings resemble traditional gold ingots and represent wealth. Fish represents prosperity. Spring rolls evoke gold bars, noodles symbolize long life, and turnip cake is associated with good fortune.
So, what wine should you pour alongside all that symbolism?
What Wine Goes Best With Chinese New Year Food?
There isn't one single wine that works with every Chinese dish. The best choice depends on the balance of fat, salt, sweetness, spice and umami in the food.
As a general rule, wines with good acidity and plenty of freshness are excellent with Chinese cuisine. Aromatic whites such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer can work beautifully, while lighter, fruit-driven reds such as Pinot Noir are often more versatile than heavily tannic reds.
And don't forget bubbles. Sparkling wine can be a fantastic match for fried, salty, and celebratory dishes.
Our advice? Don't feel restricted to one bottle. Having both a white and a red on the table lets you move between dishes and discover what works best for you.
1. Dumplings — Wealth & Money
Photo credit: visitfortwayne
Shaped like traditional Chinese gold ingots, dumplings are eaten during Chinese New Year as a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
Steamed dumplings filled with pork and vegetables are often served with soy sauce and chilli, bringing together savoury, salty, spicy and slightly oily flavours.
Wine pairing:
Try Riesling, Pinot Gris or a fruit-driven Pinot Noir. Their acidity and freshness help balance the richness of the dumplings and work well with a chilli dipping sauce.
For something extra festive, sparkling rosé is another great option.
2. Fish — Prosperity
Photo credit: The Guardian
Fish is a classic Chinese New Year dish because the Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds like the word for surplus or abundance.
A whole fish also represents togetherness and unity, making it particularly fitting for a family celebration. Traditionally, keeping some fish for the following day is associated with carrying prosperity into the new year.
Wine pairing:
A dry, aromatic Riesling, particularly one with plenty of freshness, can complement the delicate fish while standing up to toppings such as ginger, black beans and herbs.
3. Spring Rolls — Wealth & Money
Golden and shaped like traditional gold bars, spring rolls are another CNY favourite associated with wealth.
Their crispy exterior and savoury filling also make them one of the easier dishes to pair with wine.
Wine pairing:
Look for wines with bright acidity and aromatic, herbaceous character. Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer can all work well, helping cut through the fried texture while complementing fresh herbs and dipping sauces.
4. Noodles — Long Life & Happiness
Photo credit: Asianinspirations.com
Long, uncut noodles symbolize longevity and a long, happy life. During Chinese New Year, they're traditionally eaten without cutting them — although ordering your favourite noodle dish works perfectly well too.
For noodles stir-fried with oyster sauce, vegetables or meat, the combination of savoury umami and oil calls for a wine with freshness.
Wine pairing:
Try a fruity sparkling wine. Its acidity and citrus character can refresh the palate between bites.
If you're going red, a lighter-style Pinot Noir is a good option, particularly when meat is part of the dish.
5. Turnip Cake — Good Fortune
Photo credit: cosmart
A Cantonese favourite, turnip cake (luóbo gāo) is savoury, rich and packed with flavour.
It may contain preserved meats, Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, dried scallops and mushrooms, and is often pan-fried and served with a deeply savoury XO sauce.
Wine pairing:
This is where a little more weight in the wine helps. Try a medium-bodied Pinot Noir, a richer Chardonnay or a fruit-forward Italian red.
The key is choosing a wine with enough freshness to handle the richness without overwhelming the dish.
The Best CNY Wine Pairing? Keep It Flexible.
Chinese New Year is about family, celebration, and bringing people together around the table. The same should apply to wine.
There are no rigid rules. Acidity can cut through richness. Fruit can soften spice. Aromatic wines can complement herbs and seasoning. And lighter reds can work surprisingly well with savoury Asian flavours.
Most importantly, don't be afraid to experiment.
A Riesling might be perfect with your dumplings. Sparkling wine might steal the show with spring rolls. Pinot Noir might suddenly become your favourite match for turnip cake.
That's part of the fun of Chinese food and wine pairing — there is always another combination to discover.
From all of us at The Flying Winemaker, wishing you and your family a happy, prosperous and delicious Chinese New Year!
FAQ:
What wine goes best with Chinese New Year food?
Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines are versatile choices for Chinese New Year food. Wines with good acidity, freshness and moderate alcohol tend to work particularly well with the richness, spice, salt and umami found in many CNY dishes.
What wine pairs with Chinese dumplings?
Riesling, Pinot Gris, fruit-driven Pinot Noir and sparkling rosé can pair well with dumplings. Their acidity and freshness help balance the richness of pork-filled dumplings and complement chilli or soy-based dipping sauces.
What wine goes with steamed Chinese fish?
A dry, aromatic Riesling is a strong choice for steamed Chinese fish, particularly when the fish is served with ginger, herbs, black beans or other flavourful toppings.
Is red or white wine better with Chinese food?
Both can work. Fresh, aromatic white wines are especially versatile with lighter and spicy dishes, while fruit-driven, medium-bodied reds can work well with meatier or richer dishes. Sparkling wines are another excellent option for fried and savoury foods.
What wine pairs with spring rolls?
High-acid, aromatic wines such as Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer can work well with spring rolls. Their freshness helps balance the fried texture and complements herbs and dipping sauces.