The ultimate guide to pairing wine with Asian food

Good things come in pairs - when you pair wine or whisky with Asian flavours, expect some pleasant surprises.

1. Dry Riesling

Having a fiery Indian curry or lip-numbing Thai stir-fry? Opt for a low-alcohol dry Riesling. Widely considered the classic accompaniment for spicy fare, it has intense fruit flavour, natural acidity plus a tinge of sweetness to counter the heat!

2. Pinot Gris

Acidity and sugar aren't the only components that can mediate spice - viscosity can have the same effect. Try this rich, lush wine with a Thai green curry or chicken masala.

3. Champagne

Most dry sparkling wines go well with anything salty, thanks to their light sweetness. Try it with Vietnamese spring rolls and a fish sauce dip.

4. Malbec

This bold wine pairs perfectly with sweet-spicy barbecue sauces, such as Thai sweet and sour fish, or popular Cantonese stir-fries such as black pepper beef.

5. Sauvignon Blanc

As a general rule, choose wine with a higher acidity level than the food that it's match with, so that it doesn't taste flat. Sweet and sour pork goes much better with a high-acid Sauvignon Blanc, than with a buttery Chardonnay.

6. Cabernet Sauvignon

The tannins in red wine are what help give it structure, making it an ideal complement to luxurious meats. Brawny reds like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah taste amazing with braised duck or Taiwanese sausages (which tend to have a fairly high fat content).

7. Moscato d'Asti

Opt for this sparkling wine with a fruity dessert like almond pudding with lychees. Its sweetness and low alcohol content make it perfect for pairing with spicy fare, too.

This article was first published on The Finder.