This is not your typical wine and food pairing piece. And if this isn’t your first time here, you might have seen my recent piece on street tacos and wine, or my Instagram feed filled with pairings for things like Indian street food, sushi, and Thai food. I like to talk about and pair wine with food that people actually eat….and eat regularly.

It’s my goal in conversations about wine to highlight and focus on diverse-owned wineries, interesting people, and kick-ass wines. This ain’t your oysters and Chablis wine pairing piece. That’s been done and we’re good on that. Let’s talk about food that is more commonly consumed in our lives, versus aspirational foods we once saw wealthy white people eat on Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous. Today it’s all about Chinese buns and other dumpling-like goodies.

I grew up on potstickers and steamed dumplings when it came to Chinese food. We had a local, family-owned Chinese restaurant the family visited regularly for my entire childhood. So many good memories there. I think that’s where I developed my love of tea. At the beginning of every meal, they’d set a stack of tea cups and a warm kettle on the Lazy Susan in the center of our table. I felt so adult!

A couple weeks ago I visited the Far East Plaza in the Chinatown neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles. It was a sad sight as many of the storefronts in the plaza were boarded up and closed. But I did find a few restaurants open where I could sample buns with some bubbles that I brought along for the ride.

Fried Crabmeat & Shrimp Ball

Wine Pairing: Domaine Bousquet Brut $13

Domaine Bousquet is the #1 selling Argentine bubbly in the US. Their wines are certified organic, and they are a leader in sustainability in Argentina. A tank method sparkler made of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this wine is a great alternative to Prosecco, which can be a bit sweet for some, including myself. This wine is dry and the high ass acid cuts through the fat in this fried ball of goodness. Available at some Whole Foods stores and on Wine.com.

Chicken Potstickers / Dumplings

Wine Pairing: Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé $13

This is definitely the standout of the two Domaine Bousquet wines. I could enjoy it on its own or with these dumplings. Also organic and made with both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this Brut Rosé would be my go to wallet-friendly rosé sparkler. And with the versatility I mentioned earlier that pink bubbles bring, it worked well with the potstickers and would be an easy one-bottle choice for your Bubble and Buns dinner! Available at some Whole Foods stores and on Wine.com.