If you love dishes that are spicy and full of heat, the right choice of wine can complement the flavors as well as cool them down a little bit when needed. Spicy foods are not only delicious with plenty of fantastic options available from a wide range of world cuisines, but they are also good for you. Spicy foods like chilli peppers are antioxidant-rich and certain spices can have a myriad of health benefits including boosting your metabolism and decreasing inflammation in the body. Whether you are planning a date night or just want some inspiration on what to choose for your next trip to your favorite Indian or Thai restaurant, picking the right wine can make the meal even better. 

We read an interesting article the other day and were surprised to learn that certain wines from Underground Cellar are better than others for a spicy meal. Keep reading to find out more about the best wines to pair with spicy food. 

Prosecco and Indian Food:

If you’re planning an Indian meal, there’s certainly a lot to choose from. This cuisine is very sophisticated in how it uses spices, and there are some well-known dishes like vindaloo that make use of a lot of hot spices. However, most popular Indian dishes will use a blend of aromatic spices and herbs including cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala. Since Indian food is made with so many intense flavors, textures and spices, the best thing to do here is make sure that you keep your wine simple so that it complements rather than competes with the complexity of the dishes. The sweetness of Prosecco is perfect for balancing out the heat in some of the more fiery Indian recipes, while the bubbles can help to keep your palate clean. 

Rosé and Mexican Food:

One of the defining elements of Mexican cuisine is the extensive use of chilli peppers, with over 150 varieties of chillies found across the country. Serranoes, jalapenos, anchoes, poblanos, and habaneros are just some of the most-used peppers in this country’s cuisine. The range of heat can vary and each pepper has a different flavor, so what is the best wine to pair with Mexican dishes? Rosé, a fruit-flavored wine that comes in varying levels of intensity and body, can be a nice contrast with the smoky, earthy flavors of Mexican dishes. 

Dry Riesling With Cajun Dishes:

Louisianian Cajun cuisine is filled with hearty dishes that pack plenty of heat thanks to the generous use of hot pepper sauce and cayenne pepper. While the spice blends use in Cajun cooking might vary based on who’s cooking it, it will traditionally contain some elements of black pepper, oregano, garlic and paprika. Riesling is an ideal pairing for Cajun dishes. The higher the heat level in your dishes, the more dry the wine that you choose should be since the amount of residual sugar present in the wine will help to cool down the heat and balance out the flavors. 

What’s your favorite spicy dish and which wines do you enjoy drinking with it? We’d love to know!