Food and Wine Pairings

[foodietraveler]

I am going to cook an Indian meal friday.

Not sure what dishes, but I shall cook from two books, both by our experts from egullet.

I have ordered books by Monica Bhide and Suvir Saran. They arrive later today and what inspires me shall be prepared for mom, girl friend and non-indian friends.

What wines would be safe ones for me to buy? Any ideas?

Or am I too naive to think I can buy wines in advance of having a menu planned?

Guidelines for pairing wine with Indian food??

[ademello]

If you're looking to complement and enhance the falvors of the dishes, I find that a off-dry or even dry Gewurztraminer or Riesling does nicely, as dose any fairly good sparkling wine. A local celebrity Indian chef here swears by Australian shiraz but I've found that all you're left with is enormous heat on the palate.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I'm beating a dead horse as well as siding with Adamello... An Alsatian-style Gewurtz is the most amazing wine with ANYTHING remotely spicy.

The barest hint of a residual sugar (not the sickly sweet Gewurtzs or Rieslings) in a wine complements and counters the heat in Thai, Indian, Asian and even Mexican foods. I also enjoy these styles of German wines (and the few California wines made in this style) with Gumbo, Jambalaya, and spicy New Orleans-style cuisine.

It surprises me when even the most upscale of Indian and/or Chinese restaurants don't promote this amazing pairing...

[ctgm]

do wines with higher residual sugar contents go better with hot food?

[JPW]

Another option to gewurz or riesling if the dishes are not too too fiery would be a nice Loire valley rose.

[intraining]

perhaps offer mango lassie (sp.) cocktails

my father in law is indian and drinks whiskey or beer

indian beer is good with indian ( that would be a given)

i have eaten a lot of indian food and can honestly say wine has never really played a part unless it's maybe one glass before.

[ademello]

The beer and Indian pairing is common, and seems to be enjoyed by many, but it does nothing for me. Perhaps it's because people that enjoy beer enjoy spicy food! Anyway, I would go the extra mile for your guests and simultaneously promote the cause of enjoying Indian with wine by sticking with a wine pairing...

I second the Loire valley and California options. Another great match is Bonny Doon Cigare vin de gris, served lightly chilled, which is awesome. Maybe also the Traminer from Roshambo Winery, which is a stylish new world rendition of a Alsatian Gewurtztraminer. Crisp and refreshing!!

As mentioned, I would go with a Gewurtz or Riesling with a (very) small amount of residual sugar rather than the straight-out sweet ones that appear all-too-often on store shelves.

[mikeczyz]

anybody ever had indian wine? apparently, india has a long history of wine production. i was at an indian restaurant a few nights ago and they had a chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc and a cab sauv all from india.

mike

[carswell]

Years ago the Quebec liquor board carried Royal Maharashtra's Marquise de Pompadour, a tasty non-vintage sparkler made from grapes grown southeast of Bombay. Full-bodied, yeasty/toasty, even a bit oxydized (in a good way, like aged Champagne). Worked well enough with mildly spiced Indian fare, especially seafood.

[Jean Brislance]

A local celebrity Indian chef here swears by Australian shiraz but I've found that all you're left with is enormous heat on the palate.

Ademello, I can imagine this being the case. I got the same sensation when I have taken the suggestion of pairing Zinfandel with spicy Mexican food or a bowl of chili…that, and I feel the tannins get really harsh with hotter foods.

I am agreeing with the beer suggestions. This is just my opinion, of course, but I just feel that wine is lost on spicy food. And if a dish is spicy enough, there is no wine that will stand up to it. I say, "Beer me!"

All the best,

Jean

[Carolyn Tillie]

do wines with higher residual sugar contents go better with hot food?

Not really. Higher RS just means they are exponentially sweeter. Sweeter doesn't necessarily mean it combats heat more. Some wines that are 4% or 5% RS are downright syrupy and are dessert wines. It is ones that are less than 1% RS that seem to work better with the spicy cuisine, IMHO.

[primowino]

If you want to drink wine with curry rather than beer or lassi (a good idea but make it light), then gewurtztraminer is the obvious answer. However, I would warn that with anything beyond very mildly spiced the nuances of the wine will be lost and I wouldn't spend too much on the wine.

[winebabe]

I am going to cook an Indian meal friday.

Not sure what dishes, but I shall cook from two books, both by our experts from egullet.

I have ordered books by Monica Bhide and Suvir Saran.  They arrive later today and what inspires me shall be prepared for mom, girl friend and non-indian friends.

What wines would be safe ones for me to buy? Any ideas? 

Or am I too naive to think I can buy wines in advance of having a menu planned?

Guidelines for pairing wine with Indian food??

←

Usually a German Riesling, a fruty Kabinett or Spatlese goes best with the spices and heat. I have even paired a riesling such as this with spicy beef dishes so don't be afraid of the red wine with meat rule.

[skrattypants]

and watch the alcohol in whatever wine you choose. the new world tendency to make everything 14% and higher doesn't lend itself to spicy foods. the wine drinks hot enough already.

[Ripasso]

In my limited experience we drank Heineken with the apps and Gewurztraminer with the main dishes. However, the real surprise came with how well the beaujolais paired with the spicy food. Likely any fresh non - tannic red would pair well as to not emphasize the heat of the food.

Salute!

Ripasso

[Wayne]

I've just finished roasting red peppers for the year and would like some advice

on a wine pairing.

I'm planning on preparing gnocchi with roasted red pepper sauce (garlic and

tarragon) with grilled shrimp.

Any suggestions on a wine to complement the sweet smokey flavors of the

red pepper sauce?

Thanks in advance.

Edited September 17, 2004 by Wayne (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

I'm in the "go-with-the-opposite-of-what-the-food-is" camp. If the food is spicy, I tend towards a slightly sweet wine (Gewurtz, Riesling); if the food is mildly bland, then I say spice it up (Syrah, Zinfandel).

In the case of sweet and smokey, you've got a bit of a conundrum. You don't want too much smoke (like in a California Syrah) to fight the smokiness of the peppers and yet anything remotely sweet (aforementioned German varietals) could definitely conflict with the tarragon and garlic.

I'm curious if your red pepper sauce has any dairy in it... a touch of butter to smooth out the sauce or a little cream, perhaps?

My first inclination is to go with a Pinot Noir. It is mild enough to heighten the tastes of the red pepper and yet complement both the gnocchi, shrimp, and tarragon. I've been drinking both Rochiolli and Ryan Pinots lately but I wouldn't discount either a Sinskey or a Loring Pinot.

Alternately, a very crisp Viognier might also add a sense of brightness to the potentially heavy dish. It would bring out the flavors of the tarragon and not conflict too much with the garlic. Stag's Leap is a little pricey in the $23.00 range, but there are some under $20 that are pretty good: Miner and Trentadue for example.

I think a Sauvignon Blanc would be too astringent, a Chardonnay just plain too boring, and most heavier reds (Cabs, Merlot, Franc) to conflicting with your delicate flavors.

Edited September 17, 2004 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[Rebel Rose]

I agree with Carolyn's suggestions. And lest it seem intimidating to some to think about all this flavor matching, let me assure you that with a little practice it becomes almost second nature. The key, of course, is to have a glass of wine while you're cooking. Take a little sip, taste the sauce. Take another sip, taste the vegetables, take another sip, and taste a spice before adding. It's an easy and delightful way to play with the wine and learn how a specific wine pairs with individual ingredients. The danger, of course, is that in the morning you won't remember how you made that fantastic meal.

I'd like to add California Sangiovese to the list. They're usually soft, with a bright, tart cherry fruit and just a little spice. I always think of Sangiovese as a gypsy wine, with lots of delicate dancing flavors. and it's great with peppers, pasta and seafood.

[TongoRad]

I find that foods with a sweetness about them go best with demi sec wines. Dry wines tend to come across as leaner in conjunction with the food. I also agree that some brightness will go a long way with this dish. I haven't tried the sauce but if the sweetness of the peppers is dominant then I would think that you're in Vouvray territory- high acid, decent body and some residual sugar. B&G makes a good one at around $10.00.

[grandcru]

The piquancy of this dish would seem to call for a wine with a bit of fruit-driven sweetness in a medium- to light-bodied package, and for that I would choose a New World rosé. I did a quick scan of the LCBO selection, and the Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare is a good candidate from the Vintages selection. I'd ask one of the staff at your local store for what is available there since, in speaking with Canadian wine friends, what shows up available on the web is not always in stock.

[melkor]

I'd agree with TongoRad - go for an off-dry Vouvray.

[carswell]

Kriss's idea of the Vin Gris de Cigare is intriguing (and with his knowledge of the LCBO, he must have spent time in the Big Nickel or environs...). Still, I'm pretty sure I'd reach for a white with a hint of residual sugar in it from Italy — a pinot grigio, say, or a Soave (Pieropan's La Rocca for a treat) or maybe Mastroberardino's Lacryma Christi — or France — a chenin blanc from the Loire or a marsanne/roussanne/viognier blend from the south (the 2001 Château Saint Martin de La Garrigue, a Coteaux de Languedoc, and Coudoulet de Beaucastel white are two excellent wines that I've recently enjoyed and either would do the trick). New world analogues like Phelp's Pastiche would work, too.

Edited September 17, 2004 by carswell (log)

[grandcru]

Kriss's idea of the Vin Gris de Cigare is intriguing (and with his knowledge of the LCBO, he must have spent time in the Big Nickel or environs...)

I long-distance dated a girl from Sudbury and yes, I have been to the Big Nickel!

[Wayne]

Thanks for all the suggestions. We ended up going with a Pinot Noir

which worked out very well. I'll keep the other suggestions in mind

as this is a dish we make at least once a month.

[sadistick]

First and foremost, thanks for stopping by...on to the matter at hand! My family is planning on doing what we call a 'killer dinner' for my grandmother's 80th... we do this every now and then, where both uncles, my cousin and I, will all bring one nice bottle of wine, and we all contribute to a tantalizing treat for everyone's tastebuds, and cook some good food, which will compliment the wines...

So far we have decided on 2 of the wines we plan on opening, and only a few courses have been planned, so I would ask for all your suggestions, as to your favourite dishes to prepare to go along with a nice bottle of wine

The dishes we have planned so far are...

Charred marrinated baby squid, with nice evoo, flur de sel and lemon added at the end

Artichoke Risotto

Wood oven smoked tomatoe bisque

The 2 wines we know of....

1985 Chateau Margaux

1964 Chateau Beychevelle

Thinking of making some sliced filet with a truffle reduction...but one of my uncles doesnt eat meat, so that is still undecided.

Thanks in advance for any ideas which may come to mind...

Cheers,

-Justin