Pairing wine with spicy, piquant dishes remains a divisive issue. The answer has never been as straight as the tenet of red meat with red wine'. Spice creates varied nuances in cuisines, so it is natural for the pairing question to lead to an equally multi-layered answer.
Asian meals, ranging from Thai, Chinese and Korean to Indian, Malay and Singaporean, are often found on communal sharing tables with a smattering of condiments to fill out the missing flavours. Lemon offers acid; sambals amp up the heat, and soy sauce adds umami. The incongruent harmony delights the palate but wreaks havoc on wines, overwhelming their flavours.
Consider the western meal, which is usually a staged affair: a coursed meal which calls for wine to fill out the palate and provide acid or sugar where needed. In Asia, we have big sharing plates, and we are going from fish and noodles back to meat. It's all upside down, says Stephanie Rigourd, partner and director of Vintage Wine Club. The European pairing basics of pairing one dish with one wine, she says, does not work in Asia.
It's easy to give up on the wine quest and resort to the effervescence of beer to calm your palate (the truth is, beer neuters the taste instead of placating the taste buds). But with a bit of effort, you can find a multitude of wines that can stand up to spice and create balance and synergy.
Rigourd says, We must adapt wine to this culture, not the other way around. Having lived in Singapore for over a decade, she has acquiesced to the Asian spice-loving palate. If you love eating spicy foods and you love that heat, then you don't need to soften down. So just bear in mind that anything you drink with such food won't taste the same.
From chilli padi to toasty gochujang, chillies excite the taste buds, and our palates are indeed programmed to enjoy them. The burning sensation is generated by capsaicin, a chemical compound found in chillies.
This story is from the June - July 2022 edition of Epicure Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June - July 2022 edition of Epicure Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Plant-Powered Paradise
Exploring Seoul's Burgeoning Vegetarian Food Scene
Brewing tradition, bottling innovation
Chunpoong Brewery is safeguarding a cherished Korean beverage, makgeolli, while embracing innovation for a new era.
Home is where the heart is
The best memories are often made at home, something which Hideaway, Nae:um Group's latest venue featuring a cosy design inspired by nature, is venture, aims to recreate.
The Life Aquatic
On board Oceania Cruises' Riviera, a luxurious two-week voyage along the Southeast Asian coastline delivers on its promise as a food lover's paradise at sea, offering an array of specialty restaurants, thoughtfully re-inspired menus, and a state-of-the-art cooking school.
Bright lights, big city
Going to Bangkok for an extended weekend? We've narrowed down a few places for you to swing by.
Sun, sea and banh mi
NOX Beach Club in Central Vietnam is a balmy haven for daytime escapes and after-dark events. Plus you will never go hungry here thanks to the collection of six restaurants and bars.
Laneway stars
Melbourne shines bright with its bevy of dining gems and new luxe hotels. It's time to revisit this well-loved destination.
Spiced and praised
These spice-centric East Indies Gins from Spice Island Distilling Co. have been acclaimed for their authentic excellence.
Girl power
Seoul's female bartenders liven up the city's drinking scene with their artistry and expertise.
Eye on Asia
After 25 years in Hong Kong and 12 in Singapore, British wine merchants Berry Bros.& Rudd is a seasoned player on the Asian wine landscape. Charlie Rudd, a fourthgeneration family member, now leads the charge in Asia.
