Episode 3: Wine and Spicy Food

Spicy food can be difficult to pair with wine. After trying some sparkling wines with some piquante food we were inspired to learn more.



A few general rules for pairing with spicy food:
1. The more complex the dish, the simpler the wine.
2. Acidity is good.
3. Tannin is bad.
4. A little bit of sweet goes a long way.

Grape varieties to try with spicy food:
Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Gris
Gamay
Pinot Noir
Syrah/Shiraz

Tannins & Chilis: tannins are phenolic compounds consisting of 3 - 5 carbon rings which work to bond protein molecules. Tannins bond to the proteins in our saliva, causing the proteins in our mouths to clump together and stick to particles and surfaces (ie. teeth, gums, tongue) creating what we call an astringent feeling. Chilis, because of the tendency for capsaicin to create a burning sensation, increase this feeling in the mouth. Chilis also induce salivation which might have something to do with increasing the tannin's effect in the mouth. Introducing protein to a dish will induce the tannins to bind to the food proteins before they can affect the salivary proteins and reduce this effect. So: tannic wine and meat, yes; tannic wine and chilis, not so much.