Wine with spicy and Asian food: how to make the best match
By OnlyWines editorial team
With spicy food, choose a wine with low alcohol (11 to 12.5%), some fruit and preferably a touch of residual sugar. An off-dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc or a chilled bubble almost always works. Leave full-bodied, tannic red wine and wines with a lot of alcohol aside.
In this article
With Asian food many people hesitate between beer, tea or wine. Wine can work very well, as long as you choose the right one.
Heat comes from capsaicin. Alcohol intensifies that burning feeling, and tannin makes it sharper. A full-bodied Cabernet with sambal therefore feels like a burning mouth. Residual sugar and fruit work as a coolant. Bubbles and acidity give your mouth a fresh reset.
Low alcohol
The lower the percentage, the less burning. Preferably stay under 12.5%.
A little sweetness
Residual sugar tames the heat. Choose off-dry.
Little tannin and oak
Skip heavy, oak-aged wines.
By cuisine
Sushi and sashimi
Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, Chablis, brut bubble
Acidity and a saline note suit raw fish.
Thai curry
Off-dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer
Fruit and sweetness tame heat and coconut.
Indian curry
Riesling Kabinett, Viognier, chilled Beaujolais
Fruity, smooth and low in tannin.
Chinese sweet and sour
Pinot Gris, rosé
Fruit suits sweet-and-sour sauces.
Korean barbecue
Gamay, Pinot Noir, rosé
Light red wine can handle sweetness and fat.
Indonesian
Grenache, Gamay or Gewürztraminer
Fruity and soft, without heavy tannin, with rendang and satay.
Nasi, noodles and sauce
Fruity white wine or rosé
Keeps things light beside a spicy sauce.
Riesling combines acidity, aromatic fruit and often a little residual sugar, with relatively little alcohol. You can read more about this grape at white grape varieties.
If the wine is drier than the food, it tastes thin. Choose a wine that is at least as sweet as the dish.
What would you rather leave aside?
Heavy red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo, wine above 14% alcohol and wine with a lot of oak.
Serving vegetarian Asian dishes? Also look at wine with vegetarian dishes.
Pairs with spice
Wine for your next curry or sushi evening
Gewürztraminer or Pinot GrisGewürztraminer - Domaine Edmond Rentz
Gewürztraminer · Alsace
Aromatic and soft, a sommelier's choice with peanut sauce.
BubbleBonarda - Guglielmini
Croatina · Piemonte
Carbon dioxide resets your mouth between spicy bites.
Frequently asked questions
Which wine pairs with spicy food?
Choose a wine with low alcohol and some fruit or residual sugar, such as an off-dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer or a chilled bubble. Avoid tannic red wine.
Can you drink red wine with spicy food?
Yes, but choose a light, fruity red wine with little tannin, such as Gamay or Pinot Noir, and serve it lightly chilled.
Which wine pairs with sushi?
A fresh, dry white wine such as Albariño, Grüner Veltliner or Chablis, or a dry bubble. The acidity suits raw fish and soy sauce.
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