Wine and Spice

There has been quite a lot of noise made in the past that there can be no relationship between wine and spiced food. I find this a lazy response to a challenge, and operate on the premise that the two form a perfect partnership when considered with care, intelligence, a good palate and an open mind. How often have you read that beer is the only alcohol to drink with spicy food? There have been recent, ground-breaking advances made by cooks and vintners alike to dispel this myth. The starting point is determining the character and flavour of the food and/or wine, how they feel on the palate, how they interact together. One should taste to understand the layers of flavours; the fullness of the palate; the acid, sweet, sour components; the complexity. Wines are made to enhance the flavour of food, and your palate should be seduced equally by the taste of the food and the wine. While there can be guidelines and suggestions, there are no prescribed hard and fast rules. Taste is a subjective pleasure, a response to personal preference. When I am looking for a perfect match between wine and food, I taste the food first to get a feel for the flavours, balance and structure of the dish. Then I look for a wine that completes the palate, that carries the flavours through and doesn’t fall short, that is harmonious with the specific ingredients in the dish. I choose a few different wines and then taste each one with the food to see which adds to the length of palate, works in harmony with the flavours and best highlights the character of the wine.