Wine with Asian cuisine

Edwin Soon, wine expert and author of Pairing Wine with Asian Food, published by monsoon and available from all leading bookstores at $27.50, suggests choosing:

• Weighty white wines for Asian dishes with sweet overtones. Opt for dry white varietals such as Chardonnay or Fumé Blanc for dishes from Shanghai, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.
• Champagne and sparkling wines for salty dishes. The bubbles in Champagne provide a pleasant contrast to savoury fried foods.
• Moscato and other sweet wines are ideal for spicy dishes. General rule of thumb: the spicier a dish, the lower the alcohol level.