What wine goes with spicy food? Our pairings for chilli heat
71 wines to serve with spicy foodWith a spicy dish, serve an aromatic white with a touch of sweetness, such as an off-dry Riesling or a Torrontés, or a very fruity red with supple tannins, such as a Syrah, a Grenache or a Pinotage. Fruit and freshness soothe the heat; moderate alcohol keeps everything in balance.
Thai and Indian cuisines love German Rieslings and fragrant whites. Tagines and dishes with sweet spices call instead for a sun-drenched red from South Africa or Spain. Discover our guide wine and curry, Thai, Indian too.
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - El Viejo del Valle 2024
An elegant and gourmet Pinot Noir with flavors of wild red fruits
Amalaya - Amalaya Torrontés & Riesling 2023
An aromatic Torrontés, subtly blended with the freshness of Riesling
Riebeek Cellars & Ryno Booysen - Percheron Shiraz-Mourvèdre 2025
A generous blend in the “Languedocian” style but with a resolutely South African identity
Wildeberg - Coterie Cabernet Franc & Malbec 2020
A superb blend of Cabernet Franc and Malbec
Bear Creek & Samantha Bailey - Rib Tickler Shiraz 2023
A suave and gourmet expression of Syrah
Wildeberg - Coterie Grenache & Syrah 2022
The alliance of Grenache's richness and Syrah's spicy finesse, offering a generous, silky, and remarkably balanced wine
Kautz Family - Burlesque Zinfandel 2020
A charming and spicy Californian zinfandel
Botter - Lupo Meraviglia Tre Di Tre 2021
A rich and tasty wine, made using an ancestral method from the Puglia region
Listening Station - Shiraz 2023
A Syrah from Victoria, supple and with peppery notes
Santa Julia - La Oveja Torrontés Natural 2021
A Torrontés worked without added sulfur and without chemical inputs
Boutinot - Callipepla Malbec 2019
A Californian Malbec full of fruit, with a delicious and complex character
Boutinot - El Infernillo Pinot Noir 2021
A Pinot noir from northern Chile, made with finesse and freshness
Peregrine Estate - Pinot noir 2015
A Pinot Noir that combines purity and elegance, concentration and length.
Valenciso - Valenciso Blanco 2021
A wine combining texture, balance, minerality and elegance.
Quinta do Crasto - Flor de Crasto Rouge 2021
A beautiful blend from the Douro Valley, with intense flavors of black fruits
Nik Weis - Urban Riesling 2019
A pure and crisp Riesling from the Moselle Valley
Lantides - Little Ark Red 2020
A blend of 2 indigenous Greek grape varieties, with flavors of black fruits and spices
Rippon - Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2017
An elegant and refined Pinot noir, grown on the banks of Lake Wanaka
Matetic & Guillaume Letang - Sierra Grande Pinot Noir 2020
A delicate and elegant Pinot Noir with flavors of wild ripe fruit
Giribaldi - Barbera Alma 2019
A delicious and juicy red wine made from Barbera, an astonishing grape variety!
Which wine for which spicy dish?
The intensity of the chilli and the nature of the spices guide the pairing. Here are our pointers for the great spicy cuisines.
| Dish | Wines to choose | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Thai curry green curry, red curry with coconut milk | Off-dry German Riesling, Argentinian Torrontés | A slight sweetness calms the chilli, and citrus aromas answer the lemongrass. |
| Creamy Indian curry butter chicken, tikka masala, korma | Viognier, Chenin Blanc, fruity rosé | A full-bodied, fragrant white embraces the cream and warm spices. |
| Tagine and couscous lamb tagine with prunes, couscous royal | Sun-drenched red: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre | The ripe fruit and spicy notes of the wine echo the cumin and cinnamon. |
| Chilli and Mexican food chilli con carne, tacos al pastor, enchiladas | Fruity red: Malbec, Shiraz, Pinotage | Generous dark fruit and ripe tannins go with the smokiness of the chilli. |
| Sichuan cuisine kung pao chicken, mapo tofu | Riesling Spätlese, late harvest | The sweetness of the wine balances the Sichuan pepper and the heat of the chilli. |
| Wok dishes and stir-fried noodles pad thai, stir-fried noodles, ginger beef | Dry Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Noir | Freshness and fruit keep pace with the zing of ginger and soy sauce. |
| Creole cuisine colombo, rougail saucisse, cari | Fruity South African red: Pinotage, Syrah | The dark fruit and spice notes of the wine answer the colombo. |
The hotter the chilli, the more the wine benefits from being fresh, fruity and moderate in alcohol.
Fruit, chilli's best ally
Our take on spices: rely on fruit and freshness, and keep great tannic wines for other occasions. Chilli accentuates bitterness and the heat of alcohol; a fruity wine with a supple structure rounds them off. That is why Riesling, Germany's flagship grape, tops our recommendations: its liveliness and slight sweetness, in off-dry versions, work wonders with a green curry.
For red, look to South Africa and Spain. The Shiraz from Groot Constantia and The Original Pinotage from Diemersfontein offer generous fruit that stands up to a tagine or a chilli. For Thai food, the very floral Don David Reserve Torrontés from El Esteco plays in the same register as lemongrass and Thai basil. And for a Sichuan dish, the Vendange Tardive Pinot Blanc from Bruno Landauer creates a very successful sweet contrast.
Three bold pairings
Pairing 1. Green curry with coconut milk and off-dry Riesling, a classic with dazzling freshness.
Pairing 2. Apricot tagine and Grenache, for a dialogue of sweet spices and ripe fruit.
Pairing 3. Kung pao chicken and Austrian late harvest, a golden sweetness that soothes the Sichuan pepper.
The Wine Wanderer Team
Your questions about wine and spicy food
What white wine goes with spicy food?
An off-dry Riesling is the safest white wine with a spicy dish. Its touch of sugar soothes the chilli and its lively acidity refreshes the palate. Argentinian Torrontés and Viognier, both very aromatic, also suit curries and Thai food. Discover our selection of Rieslings.
What red wine goes with spicy food?
Choose a very fruity red with supple tannins and moderate alcohol: Grenache, Syrah, Pinotage or Pinot Noir. Ripe fruit balances the heat of the chilli. Keep powerful, oaky reds for dishes with sweet spices, such as tagine or couscous, and serve the wine slightly chilled, at around 15 °C.
White or red wine with curry?
With a curry, white usually wins: a Riesling, a Viognier or a Chenin Blanc goes with coconut milk and spices. Red suits richer red meat curries as long as it stays fruity and supple, like a Syrah or a Grenache. A fleshy rosé makes an excellent compromise.
What wine goes with tagine or couscous?
A warm Mediterranean red, based on Grenache, Syrah or Mourvèdre, is an ideal match for a tagine or a couscous. Its notes of ripe fruit and spice answer the cumin, cinnamon and dried fruit. All our advice is gathered in the guide wine and couscous, tagine.
What wine goes with Thai food?
Riesling, dry or off-dry, is the benchmark pairing for Thai food. Its citrus aromas go well with lemongrass, lime and coriander. The very floral Torrontés also suits green curries and papaya salads. For a pad thai, a fresh, fruity white enhances the dish.
At what temperature should wine be served with spicy food?
Serve the wine a little cooler than usual with a spicy dish: 8 to 10 °C for whites, 14 to 15 °C for reds. Coolness tempers the burning sensation of chilli and brings out the fruit. An ice bucket keeps the bottle at the right temperature throughout the meal.