How do I pair wine with spicy food?
It is often thought that drinks pairing with spicy food are particularly difficult, especially with wine.
Some wine experts have found that some wines do go really well with spicy food like Malaysian cuisine.
Here are some styles to consider
- Off-dry Riesling or rosé
- Grenache and Syrah/Shiraz blends
- Champagne
- California Chardonnay
- Sparkling Shiraz
- Ripe Pinot Noir with more aromatic dishes
Avoid red wines with high alcohol content and wines that are too tannic. However, low alcohol, fruity and light bodied red wines can work really well with spicy food.
Wine recommendations for spicy food
Here are some recommended Rosé wines selected by Helen McGinn (Saturday Kitchen).
- Mimo Moutinho Vinho Verde Rosé (£6.49, Aldi)
- Canned Wine Co. Grenache Rosé (£15 for 3, Canned Wine Co.)
- Coteaux Varois En Provence Rosé (£9.50, M&S)
- Simpsons Estate Pinot Noir Rosé (£11.99, Waitrose)
- Balfour Cuvée Rose NV
- Tesco Finest Sancerre Rosé
- Soave 2020, a crisp white wine (£4.25, Morrisons)
The one wine that is most often recommended is a Riesling. The slightly sweeter Riesling hold up well with Malaysian food. If you can find a NZ Riesling, there are some great selections in recent supermarket wine lists.
How do I pair other drinks with spicy food that is not wine?
Other drinks that work really well with spicy food
- Beer
- Shandy – Try Shandy Shack that was started by 2 NHS doctors. I love the elderflower one.
- Cider
- Sparkling sake – I really like the Mio sake, found in their unmistakable blue bottle. If you have not had sparkling sake, try this. It is one of the most popular ones. Besides Amazon, you can find it in Sainsburys and the Japan Centre.
