A Guide to Pairing Wine With Korean Food

Despite the increasing globalization of popular cuisine, wine pairings have often struggled to keep up. Ask a sommelier or an wine-loving friend what pairs well with a Pinot Noir, and you’re likely to hear the standard fare, like pasta or pizza. But thanks to exposure and access to a diversity of cuisines, the new generation of wine drinkers has a multi-faceted palate. “If the wine industry doesn’t understand the change in people’s experiences and also pairing wines with it, it’s a huge missed opportunity,” says Lois Cho, the co-founder of Imbibe 75 alum CHO Wines and founder of AAPI Food & Wine in Oregon.

Meanwhile, her winery and festival continue to grow and thrive. In 2024, CHO Wines opened its brick-and-mortar tasting room and, this past March, her Oregon-based festival kicked off an event in New York, with plans to expand across the country. Cho attributes their success to filling that void and introducing new drinkers to Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned wineries and restaurants.

To continue her efforts to expand wine pairings beyond the usual Euro-centric recommendations, Cho shared some of her favorite Korean dishes and the Oregon wines that shine alongside them.

Korean Fried Chicken and 2025 CHO Bubbles

“Korean fried chicken is all about that crispy exterior, juicy insides, and sweet, spicy, garlicky sauce. The 2025 CHO Bubbles cut through the rich fattiness with its bright acidity and luscious bubbles. As 100 percent Pinot Gris, which naturally has a softer, rounder fruit profile (think pear, apple, a touch of citrus), these bubbles create that refreshing contrast while leaving a smooth, delicate finish. Just a little Korean twist on fried chicken and bubbles.”

Grilled Mackerel (Godeungeo Gui) and 2023 Hundred Suns Old Eight Cut Chardonnay

“The 2023 Hundred Suns Old Eight Cut Chardonnay comes from husband-and-wife winemaking duo Grant Coulter and Renée Saint-Amour in McMinnville, Oregon. The 2023 bottling consists of three dry-farmed vineyards planted in volcanic soils and hand-harvested, then gently pressed as whole clusters with wild yeast fermentation. This wine pairs perfectly with grilled mackerel, which is pure nostalgia for me. Simple, salty, crispy skin, and rich inside.

“My grandma would grill mackerel and serve it up deboned on a bed of white rice with various banchan side dishes at the table. It’s such a staple in Korean-American homes because it’s accessible, flavorful, and just feels like everyday comfort. Paired with Hundred Suns Old Eight Cut Chardonnay, the smokey notes in the fish matches the flinty notes in the Chardonnay. As an acid-forward, truly-Oregon Chardonnay it provides lift that cuts through the oily mackerel. Plus, the saline mineral energy whets your palate and keeps you wanting more.”

Galbi and 2024 Evening Land Seven Springs Pinot Noir

“Evening Land Vineyards spans a 257-acre estate, including forest, watershed and vineyard, in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA. The Seven Springs wines represent the estate as a whole, working with multiple clones (including Dijon, Pommard and California heritage selections) and vines planted from 1993 to 2013. Their 2024 Seven Springs Pinot Noir is a lovely pairing for galbi [beef short ribs], which reminds me of Sunday church picnics. Galbi has a sweet soy-garlic marinade that caramelizes just right on the grill. The bright acidity of the Pinot Noir cuts through the richness, its earthiness matches galbi’s char from the grill, and its fresh, fruit-forward style complements the sweetness of galbi’s sweet soy marinade. The wine and galbi sharpen each other, creating a flavor rush that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Fried Mochi Rice Cake and 2024 Brooks Sweet P Riesling

“My grandparents immigrated to the States after escaping North Korea during the Korean War. One of the first businesses they owned was a rice cake shop, and I recall my grandma often frying up rice cakes and sprinkling on sugar for a Saturday snack or dessert. They are crispy outside, chewy inside, tossed in sugar. I wouldn’t say this is a traditional Korean dessert, but it’s a tradition in our household and it reminds me of the journey my grandparents took to bring us where we are.

“The Sweet P Riesling, made of 50-year-old Riesling grapes from Brooks’ biodynamically farmed estate vineyard located in the volcanic basalt soil of the Eola-Amity Hills, is a medium-sweet Riesling that matches the slight sweetness of the rice cakes, intensifying the flavors of both. The bright acidity in the Riesling keeps it balanced, fresh, and light (anything but cloying!). It cleanses the palate and leaves you with notes of candied lemon peel, golden raisins, honeycomb, and key lime pie.”