Wines to Have with Spicy Foods

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a wine to have with a spicy food dish. The acid in the wine helps to distinguish one flavor from another while at the same time toning down the features that overcome the flavors such as rich sauces and the heat from the spices so the flavor of the spice comes through. Also, a fruity sweet wine will tone down the heat so it does not over come the flavors. Another thing to take into consideration is the exact type of spicy food. There are different wines that go with different cuisines.

If the menu is from the Southwest United States or Mexico where dishes feature chile and lime, a perfect choice would be Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc has herbal tastes that go well with dishes that have cilantro and /or lime. For meat dishes, ask for a Sauvignon Blanc that has been fermented and aged barrels. This comes from California and is often labeled Fumé Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc can taste like grapefruit, lemon, lime, melon, pear, pineapple, lemongrass, herbs, asparagus, bell pepper, green bean, freshly cut grass or hay, fig, toast and even gunflint,

Thai and other oriental cuisines blend well with a Riesling Riesling is just sweet enough to cut back on the heat from the chiles and blend in with the sweet sauces at the same time. Riesling is also lower in alcohol content. A high alcohol wine would make the spices spicer. Riesling is also called White, Rhine, or 1Johannisberg.

Syrah goes well with Indian or Middle Eastern dishes that employ spices with an earthy flavor such as cumin, coriander, fennel or cardamom. Syrah is a spicy, earthy wine that will blend in well with the spiciness and earthiness of the dish. Both cuisines feature earthy food such as lentils, chickpeas and potatoes which Syrah also compliments. Syrah wines have an intense spicy flavor, a color so deep it is almost black and a some have a high alcoholic content.

Cajun food can range from spicy to hot to medium hot to super hot. Avoid red wines as well as wines with high alcohol, above 14%. They will only make it hotter. On the other hand, look for a wine with high acidity. The wine should also be spicy to compliment, not compete with, the spices in the food. There are several low alcohol white wines that will fill the bill perfectly. Viognier can have different acidic levels, depending on the location of the winery and vineyards, so when looking for a Viognier to have with Cajun food, look for one from a colder climates such as Washington or New York States. Pinot Grigio is another choice with wines from northern Italy considered among the best. Pinot Grigio is one of the wines that is considered to be mass produced, so the quality can be very different from one place to another. Another area that produces a fine Pinot Grigio is Santa Barbara County, California.

Sources:

Spicy Food Pairings

Cajun Food Pairings

Sauvignon Blanc

Riesling

Syrah

Viognier

Pinot Grigio