Pairing Wine With General TSO Chicken

The origins of General TSO Chicken are uncertain; several stories are behind this dish. It was introduced to American restaurants and kitchens around the early 70’s. This savory dish is served with its own special sauce that can really make the difference. Generally speaking, this sauce is made with elements attributable to the classic Chinese cuisine (such as soy sauce, rice vinegar, etc.) to cook the chicken with. Garlic, ginger and spices are later added to really bring the flavours out.

To find a wine that can balance out all these characteristics, without overpowering the dish, we should try with an aromatic off-dry white such as a Sauvignon blanc or a Gewurztraminer, or a medium body, jammy fruit-forward red wine, such as a Zinfandel or – why not – a white Zinfandel, to have a more complete dining experience.

Wine Characteristics To Pair With General TSO Chicken

Characteristic	Detail
Sweetness	Off-Dry
Acidity	Medium to High
Tannins	Low to Medium
Body	Medium to full Bodied White, Medium Bodied Reds
Tasting Notes	Red and Black Jammy fruits, sweet spices, ginger

In this food and wine pairing we should try to avoid high tannins that can make the wine feel more bitter and astringent, and instead opt for wines with jammy fruit characteristics, so we can enhance the sweetness of the dish. For the white wines, it is crucial that together with some residual sugar, the wine has a high acidity, which will ensure the pairing is balanced, and not overwhelming.

Best Red Wine To Drink With General TSO Chicken

As stated before, this new contemporary classic dish needs acidity and some residual sugar, to balance the sweetness of the preparation. For the red side of the wine world, we can fly to Italy to drink a Primitivo, or stick with the USA version, Zinfandel. Both are delicious, bold with jammy fruit flavours and some sweetness to them. Medium ripe tannins are what we need to enhance the food.

Zinfandel / Primitivo

American version or old world Italian version. Two sides of the same coin. Juicy red berries, such as strawberries, or black fruit such as blackberries, with a hint of cinnamon and sweet tobacco will pair perfectly. Additionally, its natural affinity with oak concentrates the flavours and plays a crucial role with the sweetness of the dish.

Pinot Noir

Medium body and high acidity. Lots of ripe red fruit as well here, but only if your Pinot Noir comes from warm climate or from the New World. Ripe tannins mean that you won’t have problems with bitterness, and its popularity means that you won’t have problems finding it!

Grenache

Wines from Grenache respond to our call to have jammy fruity flavours but with less acidity than Pinot Noir, for example. Best if from the New World.

Best White Wine To Drink With General TSO Chicken

Usually, it’s easier to pair Asian food with white wines. Following the general rule, we should go with any wine that would be aromatic, with high acidity and better if it has some residual sugar.

Riesling

Light to medium body with high acidity. The best examples come from Germany and can show awesome aromas of peach, apple, pineapple, apricot, pear, and finish off with honey and wax. Little residual sugar or sweet. You choose!

Gewurztraminer

This aromatic grape variety comes from Alsace and Germany, and is almost always close to Asian cuisine in general, thanks to its floreal and spicy aromas. Here some residual sugar will enable you to create a very nice dining experience.

Pinot Gris

High acidity for this flagship of Alsatian, or French wine world in general. Not to confuse it with its Italian brother Pinot Grigio. Here the complexity of its aromatic nature and its flavours play a crucial role together with the residual sugar that many winemakers make, leading to a natural pairing with General TSO Chicken.