Most people would agree that lager is the most common beverage enjoyed with Indian food... Especially with the advent of Indian beer brands such as Kingfisher and Cobra....  But we would like to try and convince you, that fine wine can also be seen as the ideal companion for the rich flavours of Indian food.  However finding wines that suit indian dishes, which are rich in spices involves tasting sessions and exploration of the world Indian flavours.  Well, to do just this we have teamed up with some fine wine experts at Miles Better Wines...  And from our research we have discovered a set particular wines that do give the palette an enjoyable union when consumed with high class Indian cuisine...  And we now want to share them with you...

Generally there are three approaches to pairing fine wine with Indian food:

1. If you like Indian food spicy, then the Indian palette often wants a wine that is mineral based and acidic, which adds to the spices and brings them out.
   

2. If you prefer combinations of flavours in Indian food and not too spicy then creamy wines coat the palette.  Buttery whites combine with the flavours of Indian food quite well.
   

3. If you want something to calm down the spice then go for a sweet wine such as Pinot Gris or Riesling or Gewürztraminer that have some residual sugar.
   

Here are some of the popular wines chosen to pair with Indian food:

1. Gewürztraminer - A white wine from the region of Alsace in France which is mildly sweet. Particularly suited to South Asian dishes that are tandoori based or rich in masalas, herbs, ginger, garlic and cardamom.
   

2. Sauvignon Blanc, Cotes Du Rhone or Australian Shiraz – Good accompaniment for tikka dishes and tandoori Prawns and paneer dishes.
   

3. Riesling - White German type is the best. Often fruity wines, flavoured with apples, plums, and peaches, they have a high acidic content and are mildly sweet along with being tart. It is best paired with curried dishes such Rogan Josh, masalas and red meat dishes which are rich and heavy in flavour with spices.
   

4. Rose – These wines are pretty dry. They have the depth of a red wine as well as the acidity of a lighter white wine. Hence, go great with heavy meat dishes, like lamb but not chicken or other birds.
   

5. Pinot Noir – This is one of the most popular red wines for Indian cuisine. Mainly available in fruity flavours, this red wine is smoother and silkier in texture compared to other high-tannin wines. It is also a wine that goes well with all types of dishes, whether spicy or tangy, chicken, seafood, vegetarian dishes or paneer.
   

6. Champagne or Sparkling Wines - Champagne and other sparking wines can be paired with several types of Indian cuisine, including vegetarian. If you have a rich & creamy curry, or something heavy like saag, makhani balti dishes, paneer and potatoes, Champagne goes well with it, as it offers a nice change-of-taste due to its bubbly acidic texture.
   

Other good pairing wines include:  Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Verdelho. Wines of a tannic nature are not a good choice for Indian and South Asian cuisine such as Merlot. This red wine does not combine well with Indian food due it being very tannic, which is a bitter or astringent taste.

It is very important to serve wines at a suitable temperature. Typical temperatures are, white wines at 5-8 degrees and reds at approximately 15 degrees. Spicy foods taste much more nicer if the wines are cooler. Also, the alcohol content of the wine should not be above 12% proof. Most wines vary between 10.5-12.5% alcohol.

Choosing a wine for a meal is always down to personal preference but we hope the tips have given you a little guidance to finding that right pairing for one of the most wonderful and popular cuisines in the world.