Wines with Indian food

[Stephen_South]

Barb decided to cook Indian and we had friends over…the menu
Lamb Tikka Masala, Puhl Gobi, Naan and Raita

The wines
1999 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Hengst Gewurztraminer, alc 15%…extremely aromatic with exotic asian spices…viscous and oily on the palate with moderately intense pear, peach and asian spice flavors…showing very youthful characteristics…

1998 Domaine Drouhin Laurène Pinot Noir, alc 13%, $58…really showing well…great earth and berry with very “Burgundian” features…showing maturity but still very enjoyable and good with the moderately spicy lamb


2007 A.P. Vin Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir, alc 14.7%…Ripe and vibrant with a marked brightness and fresh attack on the palate…a very “complete” type of wine…still young but already quite pleasing…revisit in a couple of years

[S_L_Clayton]

@Serge Birbrair

I had great success with Riesling Spatlese in combination with spicy, “grow hairs on your chest” Indian food. High alcohol wines good too, alcohol washes away the spice oils from the mouth.

False- Dude you do not want high alcohol wines with spicy food. This could be a palate to palate thing but the times I’ve had high alcohol wines with Indian it has not worked out well. My personal favorite is a lower alcohol (highly acidic) Spatlese. That’s my personal experience anyway.

On a side note Stephen-

You breaking out a 98 DD to pair with Indian showed some pretty major cajones unless of course you have another case stashed in your cellar. I’m a big fan of that wine but there’s no way my palate could handle that pairing…

[dcornutt]

Gewurz rocks with spicy food.
Great choice.

[James_Wright]

big surprise is, that an unoaked sauvignon blanc can tackle even Atomic Vindaloo and escape unscathed from the encounter—although I would rather drink lager.

[James_Wright]

@Serge Birbrair

@James Wright

big surprise is, that an unoaked sauvignon blanc can tackle even Atomic Vindaloo and escape unscathed from the encounter—although I would rather drink lager.

Yeap, I found NZ SB as another perfect match.

no perfect match—that would be Dortmunder Union—but a reasonable alternative for folks who insist upon drinking wine with hot curry, instead of beer which is excellent, or iced tea—whose only flaw is the lack of alcohol, but goes very nicely with blisteringly hot curries.

[Steve_Eisenhauer]

I’m on the beer side. Why struggle finding a wine that is adequate when beer is so great?

[James_Wright]

@Steve Eisenhauer

I’m on the beer side. Why struggle finding a wine that is adequate when beer is so great?

absolutely true. in this context I’ve only ever tried wines out of curiosity or professional obligation.

[S_L_Clayton]

@Serge Birbrair

@S L Clayton

False- Dude you do not want high alcohol wines with spicy food.

You are absolutely correct, vodka works much better. No ice, straight, from 200ml glass, 1/2 full, dude.

I had it in Bangkok, with chili peppers which tasted even my affinity to handle hot spice. I am still alive and will gladly do it again, but like you said, this is acquired taste. Just like dried caterpillars and grasshoppers.

That’s exactly what Indian food does to high alcohol wines… Makes it taste like vodka. Different strokes for different folks.

[DougS]

I would never have opened that Drouhin with even moderately spicy food. Whatever works for you, though…

I have to agree that I absolutely do not want high alcohol wine (or dry wine) with spicy food as the heat of the spices increases the perception of alcohol heat and makes me wish I had a beer. On the wine side, I have had Riesling that went okay, but the high acid acts similarly to high alcohol with the heat. I really want a wine with low (below medium) acid, low alcohol, and some residual sugar. That all points to Gewurtztraminer for me. German Riesling tends to have two of the three criteria, but the screaming acidity turns me off when my mouth is burning already.