The Right Way to Pair Wine with Spicy Food

If you enjoy both wine and spicy food, you should ensure that you choose wines that perfectly complement the fiery taste of your dishes. So, let us take a look at the right way to go about it.

White Wines That Pair Well with Spicy Food

White wine pairs well with spicy food due to its contrasting coldness and refreshing effect. It can offset the heat of many spicy meals.

Riesling wine is ideal for drinking with many spicy dishes because it has that coolness and a hint of sweetness that balances the hotness and can even enhance the flavour of your spice-rich dishes.

Other fruity and aromatic white wines, such as Chenin Blanc and Gewürztraminer, work well as accompaniments to spicy foods. Those two wines especially pair well with the sweeter spicy dishes of Thai cuisine.

Red Wines That Pair Well with Spicy Food

While white wine is often the preferred choice when eating spicy food, there is nothing wrong with drinking some red wine with fiery dishes. However, if you prefer red, make sure you go with fruity wines like Beaujolais, Pinot Noir or Carignan, all of which have low levels of tannin.

If you are not aware, tannins naturally occur during the process of winemaking. The key thing to remember when looking for red wines to accompany spicy meals is to avoid ones with high tannin levels and high alcohol content, as they can make spicy dishes taste more intense.

Sparkling Wines That Pair Well with Spicy Food

Rosé sparkling wines pair well with spicy food. The wonderfully delicate flavours of Rosé Prosecco will accompany varying levels of spicy curries.

A sparkling Sekt from Austria or Germany with its bold flavours will hold its own when paired with spicy food.

Not forgetting Champagne which also pairs well, but is probably better with a milder spiced food pairing.

Wines That Pair Well with Different Types of Spicy Foods

In addition to considering whether you want to drink red, white or sparkling with a spicy dish, you should consider the type of fiery food you are eating to get your wine choice just right.

For instance, if you are planning on eating peppery dishes, you can bring out the black pepper taste more by drinking a dark and full-bodied red wine like Shiraz. If you are dining on spicy food full of chilli peppers, an aromatic wine like Cabernet Sauvignon can help to enrich the warmness and flavour.

For dishes that contain paprika, a smoky red wine like Tempranillo will complement the mild spiciness well. When it comes to spicy Mexican cuisine, a low-alcohol rosé, such as Segura Viudas Cava Brut Rosé or Amie Organic Rosé will be perfect.

If you enjoy Indian cuisine, which can range from creamy hot dishes to intensely fiery foods, it is best to choose a simple wine that does not compete with the complex flavours. Prosecco is ideal due to its light, sweet and refreshing nature.

Plan Ahead

To get your wine pairing just right, plan your meals and the accompanying drinks ahead of time. That way, you will not simply drink the last bottle of wine in the house with a spicy meal and find out the two do not complement each other well.

Whether you are planning on cooking meals yourself or using a gourmet meal delivery service like Factor, if you want to enjoy both your food and your wine to the max, it is vital that the two pair together perfectly.

So, you should spend time researching different wines and then purchase the right ones prior to eating your hot dishes.

Final Thoughts

The more you pay attention to subtle tastes when dining and drinking, the more you can develop and enrich your palate.

So, pairing the right wines with spicy food could be just the beginning of your culinary journey. As your knowledge and taste develop, you can explore how to pair wines with other types of foods. You can then enhance the enjoyment of your food and drink experiences.