One of the biggest challenges I have had recently is working on the wine list for Jimmy’s, a new jazz and blues club opening in Portsmouth, NH that features New Orleans style food. The food we tried at the first menu tasting and wine pairing was AMAZING…but wow, all those spices, savory flavors, and fantastic sauces…not the easiest foods to pair with wine.
Other cuisines like Mexican and Indian, for example, can be equally difficult to pair with wine. Why? Our mainstream, European based cuisine like French, Italian and so on, all have the benefit of being from wine producing areas. Simply put, wine has been created in these regions for thousands of years to match well with the style of food of the area. Mediterranean coast areas heavily focused on seafood, for example, will have light, crisp, acidic white wines that pair well with this cuisine. Steak, pasta, all those dishes we know so well, are no brainers for wine parings.
Creole food on the other hand…. a bit more complicated.
I addressed this issue by looking at the main cultures that influenced food in New Orleans – Spain and France – and then fit in choices that worked well with the food and balanced out the spices or savory flavors.
How do you balance out spicy Food?
There’s a bit of theory behind that, as I have discovered reading works by my personal wine gurus, Jancis Robison and Madeleine Puckett, on food and wine parings.
Some of the most important things to consider are the level of spice, the creaminess of the sauce, and the weight of the meat. Seafood pairs best with lighter wines in general, while red meats need wines with enough heft to balance out their texture and flavors. The more complicated the flavors of the dish, the simpler the wine to drink with it…food and wine should not compete for your taste buds!
The general guidelines for SPICY food and wine pairings
- Wines best served cold (whites and possibly Gamay/Beaujolais)
- More fruity-tasting wine moderates the spiciness of the food
- Off dry or on the sweeter side (like a Vouvray or Riesling) balance against the heat
- Lower in alcohol and tannins wines reduce the burning sensation of hot pepper or chili spice
- Higher in acidity and herbaceous flavors for green herbal spices like cilantro and green curries (Gewurztraminer or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc)
- Creamy sauces are best counterbalanced by crisp, acidic wines as well
- Avoid a wine with spiciness to it as it will conflict with the spices in the dish
Here are a few examples from my recent experience as well as from eating out:
Spicy fried chicken with honey: this paired incredibly well with a Gewurztraminer from California, although you could also try one from Alsace or Germany
Gumbo with crawfish and andouille sausage: Spicy Rice dishes are enhanced by Cava, Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Vinho Verde or other very dry, high acidity white wines.
Pork belly with collard greens: Savory sweet dishes like this can handle New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Spanish Verdejo, Torrontes, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, or Garnacha Rosé – a lighter red like Gamay goes well too.
Carnitas or Short Rib tacos: Spicy red meat dishes pair well with Cabernet Franc, Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Douro Reds, Malbec
Chicken Tikka Masala: creamy dishes with spice pair well with Riesling (sweet or dry), Grüner Veltliner, Sparkling rosé, an unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay or a Spanish Verdejo, or a Gamay.
Lamb Vindaloo: counteract the spice but balance out e weight of the meat with Sparkling rosé, still rosé, super fruity light- to medium-bodied reds including Gamay, Pinot Noir,, Grenache, Carignan or GSM Rhone style Blends
Thai Green Curry: low alcohol, acidic and even off-dry wines match up well to the kick of Thai food. Look for Riesling, Pinto Gris/Grigio, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc/Garnacha Blanca, Grüner Veltlineror or Pinot Noir if you are looking for a red wine.
Try some experiments on your own with this…. again, the more complex the spices, the simpler the wine.
And avoid spicy or peppery wines, as these flavors will compete with the food. And don’t forget the sauce…creamy and buttery dishes are balanced by acidity.
