Wine vs. Spice: A Battle Worth Winning
Pairing wine with spicy food is a notorious minefield.
Get it wrong, and your carefully chosen bottle either disappears into the background or comes out swinging, making the heat feel even more brutal. The main offender? Chilli. It hijacks your taste buds, dulling delicate flavours and making a once-vibrant wine taste about as exciting as tap water. Then there’s tannin—normally a good thing, but with spice, it can turn a perfectly drinkable red into a mouth-drying endurance test. Acidity is another troublemaker. A bit of freshness can lift a dish, but too much sharpness and you’re in “why does this taste like acid reflux?” territory. And let’s not forget smoky spice—add an oaky red into the mix, and suddenly everything tastes like a bonfire.
Tricky? A bit, but fear not—we’ve lined up a few wines that’ll actually work with spice, rather than against it.
- Raimund Prüm 'Essence' Riesling – A classic match for fiery Thai and Indian curries, with just enough sweetness to take the sting out of a proper chilli kick.
- Cline Cellars North Coast California Viognier – Rich and aromatic, this is great with moderately spiced coconut-based dishes, like a Thai green curry or a gently warming Malaysian laksa.
- Apostrophe Stone’s Throw White Blend – Crisp and zesty, it’s a winner with vibrant, medium-spiced Sichuan stir-fries, especially those with a good balance of chilli heat and citrusy zing.
- Amalaya White – A bright, floral Torrontés blend that stands up well to punchy Peruvian or Mexican dishes, handling everything from a mild chilli-lime ceviche to a proper jalapeño-laced salsa.
- Willunga 100 McLaren Vale Grenache – Juicy and low in tannin, this is spot on for smoky, slow-burning BBQ dishes, from a mildly spiced harissa lamb to sticky chilli-glazed ribs with a proper kick.
- Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 'Hurluberlu' – Light, chillable, and bursting with fresh red fruit, it’s just the thing for peppery, gently spiced North African flavours, like a fragrant Moroccan tagine or a subtly fiery chermoula marinade.
