When I think of Thai curry, my mouth starts to water. After all, Thai curry is full of flavors that light up my tongue. The fragrant curry, the sweet coconut milk, and the spicy chilis make it a favorite for foodies around the world. But the sweetness and spiciness also make it challenging to pair with many of your favorite wines.
So what’s the best wine pairing to go with Thai curry? There is definitely a flavor profile to look for, but it also comes down to your palate… as well as the wine list at your favorite Thai restaurant. If you’ve tried the traditional pairings and don’t enjoy them, then pair your meal with a wine that you do enjoy.
Recently, I had dinner with friends at Avantika, a newly re-opened Thai Restaurant in Panama City. We started with a bottle of Prosecco. The fruitiness of the Prosecco is a great complement to Thai food. Since it doesn’t take four people long to polish off a bottle of Prosecco with appetizers, we wanted a second bottle of wine with dinner. Several of my friends are die-hard Cab fans but Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot turn flat when paired with the sweet spice of Thai curry. We chose a Pinot Noir from New Zealand, and it was a great wine pairing with the spicy curry.
Here are a few options in different categories to help you find the perfect wine pairing with Thai curry… that will keep you coming back for more.
- Off Dry (Slightly Sweet) Wine. Think of how good a margarita tastes with Mexican food. The sweetness and sourness of the margarita tones down the heat from the jalapeños. The same is true when pairing a slightly sweet wine with the spicy sweetness of a Thai curry. In the wine world, “off dry” means “sort of sweet.” (I’m not sure why our predecessors didn’t just call it sorta-sweet, but the terminology on the label to look for is “off dry.”) Wines that fall into this category are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Semi-Secco Champagne.
- Fruity Wine: When you’re first learning about wine, it’s normal to confuse “fruity” with “sweet.” After all, when you eat fruit, it tastes sweet. But fruity wines don’t necessarily have to be sweet or even off dry. In fact, a wine can be fruity and bone-dry. Fruity just refers to the amount of fruit (apple or pear or cherry) flavor that’s prominent in the wine. When finding the perfect wine to pair with Thai curry, the fruitiness of the wine will stand up to the spiciness of the Thai curry. Some wines to look for include Prosecco, French Rose, or a dry Riesling.
- Acidic White Wine. The acidity in the wine is what makes your mouth water. If you’re not sure how acidic a wine is, hold it under your tongue for a few seconds before swallowing it. If your mouth is watering so ferociously that it’s hard to talk, then the wine is acidic! An acidic wine is loved by foodies the same way a chef loves to put vinegar or lemon into food. The acidity will brighten your meal and stand up to the spiciness of the Thai curry. If you are in doubt, look where the wine was grown. If it comes from a high altitude with cool weather, chances are good that it will have high acidity. Choose wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco or Albariño.
- Acidic Red Wine. Yes, red wines can be acidic too. Like the acidic white wines, the grapes for these red wines are grown in cooler climates. The two best choices are Gamay (found in Beaujolais wine from France) and Pinot Noir. Beaujolais is not typically available in any of the Thai restaurants I’ve been to, so if you’re in the mood for red wine, find a cool-climate Pinot Noir from Oregon, Burgundy or New Zealand.
One of the very best wines to pair with spicy Thai curry is a sweet or off-dry Riesling. Think of how many boxes it ticks: slightly sweet (check), fruity (check) and acidic (check)! If you haven’t tried a Riesling with Thai food, live life on the edge and give it a try. Riesling not only brings out the best in Thai curry, but it’s also very wallet-friendly. If after trying it, you still don’t fancy it, then be true to your taste buds. After all, you’re a grownup, and this is your meal.
Happy cork-popping!
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