IF MADE CORRECTLY, potstickers are the best dim sum/hangover/I’m just hungry food ever. They’re fried, full of pork, and contain some vegetables, even if it’s only a smattering of garlic, ginger, and chives. Fried pork dumplings are simply the perfect food.

I wouldn’t be opposed to a few dozen while watching football, especially after a long Saturday bar crawl. Come to think of it, having frozen ones around for a late-night snack is also a good idea. They even taste good cold (at least I think so).

Each restaurant has its own recipe, which it guards—as it should—like the Holy Grail. But with all the variance in ingredients (heavy or light on garlic? chives or white cabbage? mushrooms?) and cooking styles (thin-skinned or thick? large batches or small?), we need a reference point. That would have to be the best dumplings in New York, the absolutely delicious, surprisingly cheap (five for $1) potstickers from Dumpling House in Manhattan. They are the best you can buy, hands down. You could argue, but you would be wrong. Very wrong.

The tricky thing about pairing the little pockets o’ goodness with wine is the fact that we all like to use a little sauce—and the range of sauces can be staggering. Plain soy, soy and rice vinegar, black vinegar, ginger scallion, Sriracha, chili oil, and XO sauce. The sauces make a big difference, especially those that contain a high proportion of acid or that rank higher on the Scoville scale (i.e., spicy!).

But variety gives us options, and I’m thinking that both reds and whites could be interesting with our fave northern Chinese creations:

2005 Gaujal de Saint Bon Picpoul de Pinet Coteaux du Languedoc (France), $10.99

A light white with nice citrus and apple/pear flavors, made from the semi-obscure picpoul grape. Great acidity and minerality make this a great match with the a little soy sauce and rice vinegar on your potsticker.

2005 Michel Cheveau Or Rouge Beaujolais-Villages (France), $14.99

My favorite Beaujolais, the Or Rouge is well balanced and doesn’t go through that trashy carbonic maceration that makes most Beaujolais taste like cotton candy. This is the real deal that most people don’t get to try. It actually has earthiness, along with pure strawberry and cherry flavors. This would be great with a little XO sauce on the fried joy pockets. The good fruit counteracts the spice of the sauce, and the earthiness of the Gamay grape pairs well with both the savory pork in the dumpling and the dried scallop in the XO sauce.

1995 Lopez de Heredia Vina Gravonia Rioja Blanco (Spain), $25.99

A deep gold color and spicy biscuit scent show the influence of oak on this single-vineyard viura, and flavors of honey and beeswax, vanilla and jasmine (great if you like some heat) make this just a gorgeous white Rioja.

Okay, must go to Dumpling House. Need a fix.

Got an Asian meal in mind that needs a good wine? E-mail “Drunken Monkey” for help.

•