wine for Indian food

[TinaK]

I would like to select a nice wine for a homemade East Indian dinner. Could you suggest one that goes well with spicy Indian curries?

[Jerry D Mead]

Thomas Fogarty or Gundlach-Bundschu Gewurztraminers...and some of the other guys will give you the names of some Alsatian wines that will work.

Personally, I drink beer (sacrilege) with curry.

JDM

[Randy Caparoso]

Tina, the current thinking on spicy curries is this: the hotter and wilder, the more important it is to select

1. A well chilled white wine to soothe the palate, temperature-wise.

2. A white wine moderate (8% to 11%) alcohol in alcohol. Keep in mind that alcohol tends to be a hot tasting element that only magnifies the heat of the food (and coversely, the heat in the food magnifies the hot, bitter edge of higher alcohol wines).

3. A white with with a judicious dose of natural sweetness, an element that further helps to soothe the palate while it digests hot, spicy foods.

Going by this thinking, the most ideal wine for curries is probably German Riesling -- especially Kabinetts and "qualitatswein" quality bottlings (ask you local wine store expert to point some out). Also good are some of the better California Gewurztaminers; as long as as they have a tad bit of sweetness (again, ask your local expert).

One of the worst wines, however, is probably super-dry, heavy French/Alsatian Gewurztraminers; which tend to have soaring alcohols (as much as 14%) and slightly bitter edges (which accentuates food heat). Since these wines are not exactly cheap, either, my advice is not to waste your money.

Also highly underrated with curried dishes is simple, everyday White Zinfandel, which outperforms pricier Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs any day of the week in this particular food context. Happy hunting!

[Jerry D Mead]

Randy...I kiss your ring for having the courage to praise White Zin when appropriate. I don't think we'll be reading such sensible suggesting in either The Spectator or The Wine Advocate anytime soon.

White Zin is my pick for family style Chinese when have all those different flavors on the table at once...and nothing works better with old-fashioned catsup and horseradish cockatil sauce.

JDM

[Randy Caparoso]

I'm glad we agree, Curmudgeon. What a lot of "connoisseurs" forget is that White Zin does NOT have be sickly sweet and cheap tasting (although I admit many are). But those by De Loach, Santino, and even Beringer (that is, their "LVS" bottling) are truly "fine" by any definition of wine. Although I don't agree with absolutely everything he says, I even have to admit that Master of Wine Tim Hanni has something there when he says that for an average (presumably unfussy) consumer, a solidly made White Zin is likely to outdo even a Cabernet Sauvignon with steak!

[Bucko]

...a solidly made White Zin is likely to outdo even a Cabernet Sauvignon with steak!
****************
Okay, that's it, turn in your decoder ring.......

Bucko

[Randy Caparoso]

Fact is, Bucko, I don't belong in Hanni's club. To be a believer (and keeper of one of his rings), you have to swear by his concept of "ummami" -- the "fifth" taste. It's something Asian inspired, but supposedly explains many unusual, and often inexplicable, taste sensations that we all find pleasurable or not-so-pleasurable. Hence, White Zin with steak. Personally? I'd go for a good Barolo or St. Estephe.

[Thomas]

Ummami is to culinary what EST was to those with bladder trouble.

I went through a dinner hosted by a chef who had taken, and fallen in love with, a seminar on ummami. As far as I was concerned -- I'll go with the inexplicable taste preferences and not try to explain them; just love them.

Randy, I find a good Barolo too good for steak; needs more complex hardy dishes. Now the St. Estephe -- that is a marriage, as I also like St. Julien with the bovine!