The wine does make a huge difference in how the drunken chicken turns out. Our latest batch using the Pagoda brand 10 year huadiao was much more successful than the previous ~$3 bottles. Much smoother and less harsh wine taste. I just bought 4 bottles to further experiment. A 20 year Pagoda bottle (yellow box) that is cheaper than the $3x a bottle Pagoda and Kauai Ji Shan) and 3 8 year bottles between $5 and $6.
I have come to appreciate Marina Cupertino’s relatively extensive Chinese wine collection. Its not China, but for overseas, its not bad.
