Asian persuasion

Given traditional wine varieties evolved in Europe to complement European cuisine, it is hardly surprising few are also perfect matches for Asian food. Popular reds, such as shiraz and cab sav, tend to overpower delicate Asian flavours and taste almost metallic when eaten with spicy food. While whites can make a better match, most chardonnays end up tasting bitter and sauvignon blancs overly acidic and astringent. Aussie business partners, David Mulham and Mark Silcoks, have decided to take matters into their own hands, developing new wines to pair with Asian food. Their first blend Aja, a fruity white with a crisp, citrus finish, has already proved popular, appearing on wine lists of top Asian restaurants such as Blue Ginger, Longrain, Rambutan and Zaaffran. Their new blend, Aja Blush, is a lightly-sparkling, Moscato blush wine with a relatively low alcohol content of. The natural sweetness of the wine, balanced by the acidity and carbonation, make it an ideal accompaniment to spicy dishes, but it’s still light and refreshing enough to complement more delicate Asian ingredients. RRP$20.