Are there any wines that match with spice?
One reason many shy away from pairing wine with spicy food is that it’s so, so easy to get it wrong.There are several constituent parts in a wine that unfavourably accentuate the heat of a dish: for example, spice can increase our perception of alcohol, causing an unpleasant burn, intense acidity and astringent bitterness.This stifles the fruit and smothers the complexities of the dish, too.The Guardian’s journalism is independent.We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link.
Learn more.It’s not a gastronomic question that’s easily answered with a catchy maxim, either.Chilli heat fills the mouth in a different way from the sting of wasabi, say, which is itself different from Sichuan pepper and fresh ginger.But it can be done, should you wish to have a glass of wine with your spicy meal rather than a beer, fruity cocktail or lassi.Henna Zinzuwadia is one sommelier who is not intimidated by heat.
Currently head sommelier at Indian restaurant Pahli Hill in London, she has also paired wine for the pan-African chef’s table AYO Collective and for Indonesian supper club Spoons by Rahel Stephanie.“It’s less about ‘taming’ the cuisine and more about meeting it where it stands,” she says.“That is, respecting the spice, celebrating the complexity and letting the wine do its thing.” European wine pairing, by contrast, aims to cleanse the palate, “but spice won’t let you do that”.“Fruit-forward reds are my secret weapon,” Zinzuwadia adds.
“Their juicy, vibrant profiles complement smoky, charred flavours, and they’re an especially great match for Keralan fish curries, because the wine’s gentle tannins bind to the proteins perfectly.” She also recommends textured whites such as viognier and chenin blanc to take on aromatic dishes such as papadi chaat and light orange wines for ones that go big on green chilli or coriander.Off-dry wines are another way to match heat, because that little extra sweetness can mitigate the harshness of the spice by coating the palate.Off-dry rosé, chenin blanc, gewürztraminer and riesling all work well, though grüner veltliner, which many say has a signature pepperiness that matches well, I tend to find too acidic and often bone-dry, so I tend to avoid it with spice unless, again, it’s made in an off-dry style.Or you could do what Dom Fernando, owner of modern Sri Lankan restaurant Paradise, did, and make your own wine (although this is sadly a cost-effective pursuit only if you’re a restaurateur).
“Traditionally, Sri Lankan food hasn’t been considered ‘wine-friendly’, but we strongly disagree,” he says.“Sri Lankan cuisine is a tapestry of influences – South Indian, Dutch, Arab, Portuguese, Malay and English – so the challenge lies in balancing the structure and texture of a wine with all those rich, bold flavours, especially since we eat everything together on one plate.”Although experimental, it undeniably works.His riesling, made with Mosel winery Staffelter Hof, is all succulent pear and white flowers, and tempers the heat with a subtle sweetness that works in tandem with the fruit.With a glass of that alongside a bowl of kiri hodi, it’s easy to forget that beer exists.
Percheron Chenin Blanc-Viognier 2024 £7.95 The Wine Society, 12.5%.Low in alcohol and rich in texture, this peachy wine was made for spicy food.Tesco Finest Central Otago Pinot Noir £14, 13.
5%.Cool, mountainous temperatures keep this fresh and light.Radford Dale Thirst Cinsault 2023 £14.50 VINVM, 12%.A thirst-quencher, as the name suggests.
Juicy, red fruit and spice.Staffelter Hof Magnus Riesling £22.50 Modal Wines, 11%.If you can’t make it to Paradise, try this: a classically-styled pure riesling with stone fruit and zest.
Show strength and offer a win: experts’ tips for Starmer on dealing with Trump
It was just a few mangled sentences spoken in the darkness on an airport tarmac. But Donald Trump’s comments this week – his most significant yet regarding the UK – were enough to give heart to people in Downing Street and the Foreign Office.“UK is out of line. But I’m sure that one, I think that one, can be worked out,” Trump said to reporters travelling with him at the Joint Base Andrews air force facility in Maryland. “Prime Minister Starmer has been very nice
‘Embrace the pause’: vocal coaches on the tips they give politicians
What makes a politician an effective public speaker? We may not immediately know the answer, but we know it when we (don’t) see it. Monotone pitch, strangulated vowels or swivel-eyed certainty – these are the people telling us that difficult days lie ahead, or that only their party can deliver a better future. It would be nice if they seemed a bit more normal while they did it.The good news is, they can get better at it – just ask Keir Starmer. This week it was confirmed that the prime minister worked with a vocal coach, Leonie Mellinger, for five years before entering Downing Street to soften his buttoned-up barrister’s monotone
Some people on sickness and disability benefits ‘taking the mickey’, says Liz Kendall – as it happened
Good morning. Keir Starmer is chairing an extended meeting of cabinet today. There will be a normal cabinet meeting, and then a political cabinet, where ministers will discuss the many challenges facing the government in a party political context. They won’t be in Downing Street, and it has been described by some people as an away days, but it is not one of those away days that involves a spa hotel in the countryside. They will be somewhere in Whitehall apparently, but being out of Downing Street should provide a change of scene
Protesters to rally in London before China ‘super-embassy’ decision
More than 1,000 protesters are due to object to China’s proposed new “super-embassy” in London on Saturday before a crunch decision by the government.A demonstration against the embassy, which has become a huge diplomatic issue between the UK and China, is being held at Royal Mint Court, a historic site near the Tower of London.China proposes to turn 20,000 sq metres (2 hectares) of land at Royal Mint Court into the largest embassy in Europe. China bought the site in 2018, but Tower Hamlets council refused planning permission in 2022 citing a range of concerns, including the impact of large protests at the site. The Conservative government declined to intervene
Planners recommended against nuclear plant in 2019 citing fears for Welsh language
Planning inspectors recommended against a Hitachi-built nuclear power plant in Anglesey on the basis that it could dilute the island’s Welsh language and culture, it has emerged.Hitachi scrapped plans to build a £20bn nuclear power plant at Wylfa in 2020 over cost concerns after failing to reach a funding agreement with UK ministers.Keir Starmer’s government has vowed to make it easier to build major infrastructure projects by reforming the planning system and stopping campaigners from launching “excessive” legal challenges.The prime minister unveiled plans for a historic expansion in nuclear power this week, vowing to “push past nimbyism” and make sites across the country available for new power stations.Nuclear industry figures believe that the fate of Hitachi’s proposed plant at Wylfa demonstrates the problems with the UK’s planning system
Boris Johnson one of most damaging PMs in history, says Reform UK chair
Boris Johnson was “one of the most damaging prime ministers in this country’s history”, according to the chair of Reform UK.In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Political Thinking podcast, Zia Yusuf said Johnson would not be welcome in his party.“History will judge Boris Johnson as one of the most damaging prime ministers in this country’s history,” he told the host, Nick Robinson.The increase in net migration during Johnson’s premiership was “a total betrayal of everybody who voted for Brexit”, Yusuf said. “He took public spending close to Soviet Union spending
Parents sue TikTok over child deaths allegedly caused by ‘blackout challenge’
UK demands ability to access Apple users’ encrypted data
Call to make tech firms report data centre energy use as AI booms
Google edits Super Bowl ad for AI that featured false information
Owner of spyware used in alleged WhatsApp breach ends contract with Italy
UK app drivers: will you be logging off on Valentine’s Day?