Wines and Spicy Foods

Spicy foods being tough to pair with wines, there is wonderful opportunity in these bold flavors. For one, wine brings a reprieve a contrast in temperature, texture, flavor, or all three, that primes your palate for the next fork or chopstickful. Wine’s acidity boosts the layers of flavors in a dish while softening its extremes, whether of body, richness, fattiness or spicy heat. Fruitiness or sweetness tones down spicy heat, letting the dish’s other flavors shine. Pair Sauvignon Blanc with the chile- and lime-infused flavors of Mexican and Southwestern dishes, barrel-fermented and aged, and may have a bit of the Semillon grape blended in. The barrel treatment and the touch of Semillon give the wine extra body to stand up to meat.

Uncork a bottle of Shiraz Syrah, Grenache or Côtes du Rhône with Indian and Middle Eastern dishes that feature earthy, brown spices, like cumin, coriander, fennel or cardamom. Grenache and Syrahare both indigenous to southern France. The spices in the dish and the wine will pair up perfectly, and the slight chill will refresh your palate against the heat he spicy notes of these grapes will complement the layered spices in the dish, and the wine’s earthiness will harmonize beautifully with elements like lentils, chickpeas and potatoes that are often featured in this fare