The Cellar: Great Wines to Pair with Spicy Foods

The Cellar: Great Wines to Pair with Spicy Foods

I love spicy foods. For years, there has been an unwritten rule that certain spicy foods are best paired with beer. One of the arguments was that since no spicy food nation had any significant wine production the two were somehow unable to match. I am here to argue otherwise. Whether you are into Thai, Mexican, or Indian cuisine, I have a wine that will complement your meal nicely. I urge you to try these pairings and explore your own creations, because there is nothing more enjoyable than a hot and spicy meal paired with a deliciously refreshing wine.

One of the most important things to consider when pairing any food with wine is whether you are looking to create a mirror or a contrast to the food. Both tactics can work wonders with your food and the decision comes down to personal preference. Once you have decided on the tactic, think of the individual elements you wish to mirror or contrast; temperature, texture and flavor. While the general consensus is that delicate foods should be matched with delicate wines, robust foods with robust wines, spicy wine on top of spicy food can be quite overwhelming. Want to know where your palate is? It’s easy. Simply try the following pairings.

Thai & 2009 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling

For my first pairing, I went to my favorite Thai restaurant and brought along the 2009 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling. This fresh and crisp white wine, served lightly chilled, complemented the hot spicy chilies perfectly, leaving

my mouth feeling power washed and ready to re-engage after every sip. My hot & sour soup, Nim-Chow saturated in chilies and Spicy Satay Noodle meal got nice and spicy, but I still considered it a light meal in terms of weight consisting mostly of vegetables, seafood and chicken, and mostly in sauces that had the consistency of skim milk, rather than heavy cream.

This is a great pairing for many reasons. The 2009 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling is a light-bodied wine that mirrors the textures of the food nicely, but shows a racy acidity, minerality and length that stands up to all the spices and makes your mouth water. This delicious wine is filled to the brim with lime and peaches and just a hair of sweetness, giving this pairing that final flavor contrast to make it great.

Mexican & 2008 Plungerhead Old Vine Zinfandel

For the second pairing I went to the Olneyville section of Providence in search for Mexican take-out. I settled on chips and fresh spicy garden salsa, cheek and tongue tacos in a habañero salsa followed by a skirt steak

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and cheese burrito in a pink chipotle and sour cream sauce. As you can tell, this was not a light meal. I knew I needed a wine that could stand up to the spicy flavors, as well as the weight of this meal. I went with the 2008 Plungerhead Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi, California.

This wine is both full-bodied and sufficiently tannic to stand up to the heavy Mexican food. There is also a good dose of heavy dark fruit and alcohol, which gives this wine the much-needed weight. According to the winemaker there are Poblano pepper notes in this wine. While I have a hard time picking up on them, I certainly get spices. This finish is long and complements the tingling burn left by the habañero.

Indian & Il Colle Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry

For the third pairing, I went with my personal favorite; a spicy Indian meal consisting of chili duck wings, hot lamb kebabs and fiery Tandori chicken, along side an Extra Dry Sparkling Prosecco. As discussed in previous

editions of ‘The Cellar’, Extra-Dry sparkling wines are actually a little sweeter than ‘Dry’ sparkling wines. Getting the balance between sweet and spicy just right is difficult, but when it is there you know it immediately. Adding the crispiness and refreshing sensations of the bubbles elevates the pairing from good to great.

Indian food can be tough to pair with wine because unlike Thai, which is usually light or Mexican which is usually heavy, Indian is often both offering vegetarian dishes, as well as everything from seafood in light curries to lamb in heavy coconut sauces. Prosecco is a versatile type of wine, one with which you can never go wrong. I served this sparkling wine lightly chilled and created a lovely contrast to the heat of the food. The bubbles clean your palate after every sip and makes way for the nice fruity and floral flavors of this wine. 

Enjoy!!

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