Pairing wine & Indian food – It takes two to tango

Hot and humid days, rainy evenings, sultry nights… so what wine would you sip this season even as you make the most of those light salads, lemony grills and yoghurt- or ginger-infused curries that seem to do so well in this hot and humid weather?

Perhaps not the big, heavy, high-on-alcohol reds (though, of course, if you are having a meaty grill or a nice steak or juicy burger, there is no stopping you from uncorking one of these heavy duty ones as well).

It is, of course, true that there is no ‘right’ wine; instead your choice would depend on many things—your mood, the occasion, the budget, but, yes, also the weather.

So if you are looking to quench your thirst with long sips of something crisp and refreshing, here are some of our recommendations:

A rosé by any other name … … Would still be a rosé!

This is the happy medium between a red and a white; it is super stylish too and in general a happy wine to quaff as an early evening aperitif or even in the afternoon.

Some of the rosés could be quite sweet, and even though it is believed, at least by foreign winemakers, that the Indian palate prefers sweet flavours, try picking out a dry rosé that pairs well with most dishes.

Anyway, the rule of the thumb for any light summer wine is that it should be affordable enough to suit the spirit of the season, quite literally!

Some sparkle in the glass

There’s nothing like Champagne—any time of the year, on any occasion. The bubbly is our favourite drink and with its image of decadence, it can never fail to perk you up.

Try some Blanc de Blancs (made from 100 per cent ‘white’ varietals) from any of the French houses—luxurious ones like Ruinart, one of the oldest Champagne-makers, to the smaller, boutique Maisons (you can pick up the wines when you travel).

The Blanc de Blancs are light, crisp and ideal for summer quaffing, even if they are more difficult to come by in India.

Prosecco is Italy’s inexpensive yet charming sparkling wine, and if you are not in the mood to splurge on Champagne, this makes for a terrific, thirst-quencher as well.

Something like the Col Vetoraz is admirably complex, with energetic bubbles, a slight mineral tang, and a focused citrus palate. Definitely a thumbs up.

New world with your Indian

There are a host of exciting summer wine pairings possible with Indian food. Try picking up fresh and inexpensive new world varietals – from the USA to New Zealand and covering the whole world between these.

Shiraz, in particular, pairs well with Indian food. Try the Yalumba Y Series from Southern Australia. It is medium to full bodied with hints of spices, dark fruits and nice oaky notes making it perfect to pair with all-time favourites like tandoori chicken.

Cabernet Sauvignons, on the other hand, can be picked up too. These go typically well with more robust dishes, particularly those with a tomato base (e.g. – makhani sauce) or with fenugreek seeds, tawa spices et al.

Meanwhile, if you prefer a white, try the pale, straw coloured Yalumba Y Series Vermentino 2011, with prominent aromas of jasmine and white nectarine, complemented by lashes of kumquat and sandalwood.

The palate is fleshy, and almost salty with grapefruit acidity and a textured finish, making this a very refreshing wine.

If you want to go Old World, try the Torres Vina Esmeralda with a voluptuous, exotically perfumed nose, deliciously well-defined primary aromas, complemented by secondary aromas derived from the wine’s controlled fermentation.

Silky and sappy on the palate. This is a soothing white wine from Spain, its medium dry nature and hint of spices makes it perfect to go with prawns marinated in Indian spices.

Gimme White(s)

The obvious choices this season would be Sauvignon Blancs. Any fruity New World option, say from New Zealand (Cloudy Bay or Villa Maria), would be the perfect complement to hot, spicy coastal foods.

Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, two of the most popular and energising white wines of France, are great too this season.

On the other hand, you could also pick up a more complex Old World white.

Most high-quality Loire Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks or in glass, or enamel-lined concrete tanks to preserve the vibrant, nervy quality of the wines.

But some producers like to experiment with barrel fermentation and aging in small, sometimes new, barriques – with mixed and occasionally disastrous results.

French Chardonnay is a classic; you can have it as an ideal and classy aperitif or pair it with the piquant coastal foods of Bengal, Andhra, and Tamil Nadu (try a crisp, dry and powerful wine like the Chassagne Montrachet).

Though Chardonnay is grown in almost every wine-producing country in the world, the original wines from France’s Burgundy region have complex fruit flavours and notes of earth and minerals.

Chardonnays from America, Australia and Chile tend to be ripe and full-bodied, even buttery, with higher alcohol levels and vanilla notes from oak aging.

Recently, however, more and more wine regions have been experimenting with fruity, fresh Chardonnays produced with very little or even no oak aging.

Pair Chardonnays with roast chicken or seafood; the more voluptuous New World Chardonnays pair well with pasta dishes made with cream or cheese, with lobster or other rich seafood, and with Asian dishes that include coconut milk.

Then, of course, you could also opt for a dry Chenin Blanc from California; especially if you like fruity flavours. Pair these with chicken, corn, salads, etc.