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I was recently faced with a dish that was unexpectedly very hot and spicy. I then had to make a quick decision on a wine that would work with the dish without being over-powered by the food.
When pairing wines with food, the general goal is to make sure that the flavors of the food don't overwhelm the wine and cover up all of the wine's wonderful flavors. And the basic rule of wine pairing says that you should have a red wine with beef and white wine with chicken or fish.
But, hot and spicy foods can easily overwhelm a wine. Pairing options with hot and spicy foods may surprise you because the big bold red wines don’t necessarily work best.
One food and wine pairing that works with almost any meal is a sparkling wine. And it works especially well with spicy foods. It can be anything from a sparkling rosé to Champagne. And even an off-dry (slightly sweet) sparkling wine work well with spicy dishes. Putting some sweetness against a spicy flavor is surprisingly good.
The most common pairing with a hot spicy meal is to go with a white wine - one that will cut through the heat.
Riesling is a good option. Additionally, you might consider a Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc or an Albariño. These wines all fit into the lighter side of white wines, having lower alcohol and higher acidity. Serving these wines well chilled can make them the perfect accompaniment for a spicy meal.
Red wine lovers have options too. But stick to a light bodied red wine, especially with a hot spicy food. A slightly chilled Beaujolais or a Pinot Noir would be a great pairing here. The problem with trying to pair a big, bold red wine with a hot and spicy dish is that these reds tend to have higher alcohol. And what you'll find is that the higher alcohol level will add to the burn in your mouth, not reduce it.
So next time you are trying to figure out what to have with a spicy meal, try a little bubbly, a well-chilled light white wine or a slightly chilled light red wine. Cheers!