And you can check them out personally, by reading through the 2020 edition of “Zhong Can Yi Jiu”, the first guide ever devoted to the matching of Chinese cuisines, both traditional and contemporary, with Italian wines, which has just been published and is available online on the following websites in Chinese and English: https://chinesecuisines-itwines.com and https://zhongcanyijiu.com.cn/.
Of course, the guide features our partners's wines: Do Ville and Cantina Rauscedo are among the Italian wineries who joined the challenge.
It's the second edition of the guide, first published last year, which is part of a very interesting, wider project “Chinese Cuisines meet Italian Wines”. Promoted by Italian Wine Bank and produced by The I Factor (organizers of the Italian Cuisine and Wines World Summits and of the Italian Wine List Awards), the program involves 24 talented Chinese chefs from Beijing and Shanghai and is implemented thanks to a collaboration with the Italian Sommelier Association's Club China and the Hong Kong Chinese Culinary Institute.
The current edition has been supported also by the Italian Consul General in Hong Kong, and by the Italian Embassy and the Italian Trade Commission in Beijing who both organized the event “I Love Italian Wines” in June 2019, where the culinary guide was launched in advance. «Zhong Can Yi Jiu is the only project that aims to propose innovative tools to the Italian wineries for their marketing strategies – says Rosario Scarpato, founder and director of the guide – by pairing their wines to the creations of contemporary chefs who work in Chinese restaurants in China, but also Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore and worldwide».
A feast of Italian and Chinese flavours for your palate
41 Italian wineries took part to the 2019 and 2020 editions, which enlist a total of 140 pairings of Chinese dishes and Italian wines (red, white and sparkling ones) coming from 12 regions: Friuli Venezia Giulia, Abruzzo, Campania, Emilia Romagna, Marche, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Umbria, Veneto. Among them, some of the best and most renowned national brands like the Tuscan Castello di Banfi and Castello di Volpaia, Valpolicella's Sartori or the Sicilian Tasca d'Almerita.
Do Ville and Cantina Rauscedo appear with four wines each. From Do Ville's “Ars Vivendi” brand were selected Chardonnay, Malvasia, Giuliano e Rosé and Rauscedo went for its Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Friuli Grave DOC, Sauvignon Friuli Grave DOC, Traminer Aromatico Friuli Grave DOC, Verduzzo Venezia Giulia IGT.
The guide consists of recipes divided into starters, main courses, staples and desserts from ten regions or cities across China: Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Ningxia, Shangai, Sichuan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yunnan. It's very easy to consult, as you can choose by your preferences as to meat, dairy, fish, vegetarian dishes, spicy, eggs, seafood, or also by the type of wine you most fancy. You'll find some really savoury dishes, like braised oxtail with mushrooms, crispy cod with steamed pumpkin and mozzarella cheese, and also a very edgy porcini ice cream!
About IWB
Italian Wine Bank is a unique project promoting leading Italian wineries and their wines abroad and is part of MELIUS, a fellowship among The World’s 100 Best Italian Restaurants outside of Italy. IWB is particularly committed to supporting Italian wine producers exploring innovative marketing tools. Just like the Zhong Can Yi Jiu project, that also includes the publication of the second edition's printed version and a roadshow of presentation, with tastings in restaurants, seminars and fairs in China and Hong Kong. Make sure you'll be there!
Cover photo: Chef Felix Hue during the presentation of Chinese Cuisines meet Italian Wines at I Love Italian Wines event (this one and the bottom photo are taken from Italian Wine Bank website)