Indian spices and wines

Posted on by John H. Isacs

I simply adore Chinese food and eat it all the time. Frequently, I’ll also partake of fine western cuisine, but when I want something totally different my first choice is Indian cooking. The special cooking techniques and exotic spices make this one of my very favorite cuisines. I especially favor spicy Indian dishes. Many a gourmet would suggest beer with spicy Indian dishes. The problem is that I hate beer! If you haven’t already guessed from my previous article, I’m a firm advocate that wine goes best with practically everything.

Allow me to establish a few simple principles for paring wine with Indian dishes. Bold dishes replete with spices and strong flavors need an equally strong wine so the food doesn’t overpower the wine. Also, the spiciness and sensation of heat in the mouth can be accentuated by some alcohol beverages including wine, so the wine you select should have a high degree of fruitiness and even a touch of sweetness to offset the spiciness and sooth the palate. When enjoying southern a classic southern Indian dish like chicken or lamb Marsala, try the Shaw and Smith Shiraz, a smooth rich flavored red wine from the Adelaide Hills region of southern Australia, or the Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec, a lovely balanced red wine from Mendoza, Argentina. In both cases, the robust ripe fruit flavors of the wines stands up to the spiciness of the marsala sauce while embellishing the overall experience.

The La Crema Sonoma County Syrah offers deep, almost sweet dark flavors that match beautifully with many Indian curry dishes. This generous, smooth wine highlights, but doesn’t heighten the various spices of a good curry sauce. In all cases when serving red wines with generously spiced dishes remember to chill your red wine to about 14-16 C. The chilled wine will further assuage any burning sensation in the mouth.

Let me go out on a limb and also suggest a top single malt whisky with some Indian dishes. Since the 19th century days of the British Raj, whisky has been one of the preferred beverages of the Indian elite. The key to success when pairing whisky with Indian dishes is to pick a generously flavored, fruity and mellow whisky like The Singleton of Glen Ord 12YO or 18 YO. When enjoying with spicy dishes, I suggest adding a few ice cubes to chill the whisky and dilute the alcohol.

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