I always go with Cali or Burgundy Pinot Noir, but prove me wrong(Please).
Zins, like a Turley or Ridge
I had the dish twice last month, once with ‘09 Pauillac de Latour and 2nd time with ‘62 Latour. Both were wonderful pairing, a very versatile dish.
Sauternes
I like this pairing. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Brilliant!
A lot depends for me on how sweet the lacquer on the skin is and how much sauce you use. I find there is always a bit more sweetness than most dry reds like. Off dry, but not too sweet, Zind Humbrecht pinot gris or Riesling with some age can be perfect.
Pinot Noir.
I like the darker Sherries, Amontillado, Palo Cortado and Oloroso.
So many options. Riesling, Pinot, Zinfandel, CNdP, Syrah, Hell, even a sparkling moscato would taste great.
I’d love to try Rayas with it.
My tummy is rumbling.
I just drink rose or a clean white like reisling or chenin blanc. Typically when I eat peking duck, I’m also having other Chinese food at the same time, and pinot noir doesn’t work for me in that case.
Thanks to you I have experienced this and agree it is great.
I was part of a group of Toronto winos who went to QJD Peking Duck. The duck there is fabulous, the best I ever had. We also had other excellent dishes, but the duck was the standout. We brought:
Ulysse Collin Extra Brut NV ‘Les Maillons’ Rose de Saignee
2016 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling GG
2005 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain
2009 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain
2012 Terre Nere Etna Prephylloxera La Vigna di Don Peppino
1997 Comte Armand Pommard Clos des Epeneaux Monopole
2004 Chateau Palmer
I preferred the Champagne with the duck, although the two Gewurztraminers were also very good. Among the reds, the Terre Nere, worked very well. But none of the listed wines really conflicted except the Comte Armand, but only because the particular bottle was excessively funky.
Oh yes, for sure. The right Madeira can also be magic.
Several years ago, we drank a Rousseau Chambertin at the Beijing duck house. Disaster; absolutely lovely before the duck but killed by the Hoisin and cucumber. Went to several off lines there and quickly gave up on dry reds but Rieslings worked, although even these struggled with the cucumber.
I attended several offlines at Peking Duck House (PDH) in NYC. Every type of liquid that goes into a bottle was present.
Basically, all of the above.
This is inspired! Can’t believe I never thought to try this
This.
Something oxidized, i.e. sherry, tawny Port, Madiera, Tokaj Szamorodni, and Fondillón are some of the only wines that pair with soy and honey and hoisin sauce. Straight red wines never do it for me.
Sometimes a slightly sweet white like a Riesling or something similar can be OK. People always say Gwertz, but that’s because of the lychee nose, which is somehow supposed to be most excellent, but for me it tastes like soap with Peking duck.
I think Sarah’s point about the sweetness-level of the food is spot-on.
Generally, though, my go-to pairings for Peking Duck are Pinot-heavy Champagne or aged German Riesling. However, I once had a perfect pairing with an aged Muller-Catoir Scheurebe Auslese (but I don’t remember if is was a Haardter Mandelring or a Mußbacher Eselshaut.)
Good, rich Alsace pinot gris. Ostertag’s higher bottlings would be fine. For a richer style, those of Domain Faller/Weinbach would also be good.
I am really digging the sherry and Sauternes recs! — have never tried them.
I’ve always done Pinot Noir, but can’t say it was remarkable in the way it is with a French preparation of duck breast.