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Spice Loving Wines

Find just the right wine to complement even the spiciest of dishes.

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BY ROBIN BARR SUSSMAN

Big food requires big wine, says Rusty Sanjana of Indika and Pondicheri, like the shiraz with the lamb curry (left). Spicy flavors are also enhanced by a riesling (far left) or cabernet (above).

Houston’s winter menus usher in diverse hearty fare like jalapeñohot Latin American cuisine, exotic

Asian, complex Indian lamb dishes, and peppery steaks and short ribs. Whether entertaining at home or dining out, this is the time to experiment with wine picks like sizzling syrah or vivacious viognier.

Spicy food, meet your match!

VINO TIME We huddled with wine experts for basic guidelines for pairing vino with spicy or ethnic foods. Here are some things to contemplate for gustatory bliss: 1) Gauge the heat or spice level in the dish. Is it searing hot or just pleasantly piquant? 2) Consider the variety of meat, seafood or vegetable you are eating. 3) The textures of the dish and the wine should be compatible.

PERFECT PAIRINGS AT PONDICHERI Pondicheri will open your eyes to the world of Indian spices. Happily, the well-edited wine list by Rusty Sanjana, also responsible for the list at sister restaurant Indika, meets the pairing challenges. “Most people think white wines match the complexity of any Indian dish, but this is not really true,” says Sanjana. He says the texture of the wine should keep up with the texture of the dish. “Some light white wines will not enhance a heavier meat dish like beef or lamb with a complex sauce. Indian food is big food; why serve wimpy wine?”

One of the spiciest—but not crazy hot— menu choices is the Sayel Lamb Curry. “Earthy, slightly spicy red wines with low tannins will coat your mouth much the way this rich Indian dish does. Rhones, syrahs and New World reds work well due to their medium body and spicy nuances,” says Sanjana. For a lip-smacking choice, he suggests pairing the lamb curry with Australian d’Arenberg The Footbolt shiraz—a full bodied beauty with aromas of ripe blackberry and minty peppery notes.

For whites, some viogniers, semillon and unoaked chardonnays drink well with cooling Indian yogurt sauces and appetizers. “Dry rosé is always a great way to start a meal here,” says Sanjana. White wine lovers should sample Daniel Gehrs Oak Free chardonnay with the goat samosa and spicy cilantro chutney starter. “The goat meat is braised slowly with a rich garlic sauce and the cilantro chutney made with fresh serranos will get your attention,” Sanjana notes. “Creamy, yeasty chardonnay matches flavors in the pastry dough of the samosa and the clean, fruity green apple notes of the wine are a nice foil for the spicy chutney.”

ASIAN ALCHEMY AT KUU Cold Japanese beer or premium sake are safe sips with Japanese food. But why play it safe? The name Kuu means “the art of eating” so its meals deserve a quality wine hook up. The house-cured bacon, wagyu and jalapeño is a spicy yet meaty little starter and sommelier Ricky Cheung recommends Egelhoff riesling, Napa Valley, offered by the glass. “It has a sweet bouquet but is a dry riesling so it marries well with spicy food by refreshing the palate.” For red, he likes Match Vineyards cabernet sauvignon, Napa Valley. “This particular cabernet is so rich and dry it will cut through the marbling in the beef and bacon

and bring out a meatier flavor in the dish without clashing with the jalapeño.”

Cheung also likes refreshing, slightly sweet Moet Ice Imperial to balance spicy Asian herbs and seasonings, such as in the chili prawns. “You can’t go wrong with it and who doesn’t like bubbles any time of year?” During winter, he looks to powerful wines with more body like Jonata Todos from Santa Ynez, a “crazy” blend of syrah, sangiovese, merlot, cabernet franc. “It has a little smoky spice and great structure to light up the spice in piquant foods—just awesome,” Cheung says.

LATIN AMERICAN MATCH A go-to spicy dish on the menu at Churrascos is pollo jalapeño, a tender grilled chicken breast with mild heat from its sauce of crème fresco and pickled jalapeños. James Watkins, beverage director of the Cordúa group, is another fan of riesling for pairing with piquant fare. “The Josef Leitz Dragonstone riesling from Mosel, Germany, is a great pairing. Clean, refreshing, not cloyingly sweet, but a touch of residual sugar keeps it well balanced.” He likes a little sweetness to offset the heat.

STOCK UP For dinner parties, toting to BYOB restaurants, or just winter hibernating, we’ve gathered a checklist of wines you might consider storing in your wine cooler.

In addition to the above suggestions, Rusty Sanjana likes the earthy and distinctive California Belle Glos pinot noir and nicely spiced Ninquén Antu syrah from Chile. For whites, look for Colterenzio, Alto Adige pinot grigio, Italy—medium rich and citrusy. Spec’s flagship location carries just about any wine, but Richards, Houston Wine Merchant and Central Market also sell both accessible and boutique wines.

Blame it on the tiny bubbles. Sparkling wine sips swimmingly with most food, even hot and spicy dishes including ethnic fare. Mumm’s the word—Mumm Napa sparkling—and just right for holiday toasting and celebratory feasts. Snatch the lovely and affordable blanc de blanc, brut prestige or brut rosé to ring in 2015.

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5/21/14 11:55 AM