@savoirpair Big and spicy foods don't always need big bold flavors - a delicate red works nicely!
♬ Jazzy Lofi Hip Hop(895292) - yutaka.T
You can lean into spicy foods with your wine choice, or you can go the opposite direction and choose something more delicate. The spiciness of a dish has a big footprint on your tastebuds. Anything you add to the mix will be amplified because of the spice, especially if it’s a savory spicy flavor. As a result, big and bold wines can just be too much sometimes.
The other thing to keep in mind with spicy dishes is that higher alcohol can increase the burn you feel in your mouth from the spice. Something with lower alcohol might be better if you don’t like that burn.
With those ideas in mind, I chose a red blend from Rousillon in France to pair with the Spicy Tofu. It’s a blend of 4 grapes, and it’s lighter in body, alcohol and flavor profile. Some nice cherry and cranberry flavors that feel even sweeter with the spicy, savory Tofu. The wine slides in next to the food and is happy to play second fiddle, offering a very complementary flavor without trying to steal the show.
La Peche d’Andre is an inexpensive choice that would work well with poultry, pork, and heartier fish dishes like monkfish or swordfish, as well as Asian foods with spice, like our Tofu.
It’s taken me some time to appreciate lighter red wines, but now that I’m pairing them with food more often, I’m starting to wonder how I liked those big-bodied, high fruit, high alcohol wines with food the way I used to. Give it a try and tell me what you think!
Update: I’m finding the wine sold out. If I find it, I will repost on where it can be purchased!