How to Pair Wine with Ethnic Food

Indian food--with its wildly diverse signature spice blends—is best served with low-alcohol Pinot Noirs or whites made from Rousanne, Marsanne and Viognier. Plus, since many sauces rely on dairy, you should look for something with enough body and complexity to cut through fat. 

Try: 2016 Les Plan Des Moines Le Silenes Cote Du Rhone Blanc ($13) or 2013 Chehalem Three Vineyard Pinot Noir ($20)

Sauvignon Blanc is a great way to match the intensity and aromatics of ingredients like lemongrass, kafir lime leaf and fish sauce. But for super-spicy meals, stick with a low-alcohol white, like a traditional Sancerre.

Try: 2016 Guy Allion Sauvignon Blanc ($13) or 2015 Paul Vattan Sancerre ($22)

For sweet, tangy dishes like General Tso’s Chicken, try an off-dry (which actually means slightly sweet) Riesling or a hyper-American Zinfandel with jammy fruit and doughy oak.

Try: 2016 Leitz Riesling Rheingau ($13) or 2014 Mauritson Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel ($24)

Japanese cuisine is heavily reliant on umami ingredients like dashi, soy and mushrooms—all of which you’ll want to counter with something big and juicy, like a Malbec. (That is, if you’re forgoing the sake.)

Try: 2015 Bodegas Chakana Red ($20)

Flavors like preserved lemon, cumin and rosewater make Middle Eastern food tough to nail down. Unwin looks to Italy and grapes like Nebbiolo--which has the oomph to pair with lamb and the acidity to balance herbs like za’atar.

Try: 2016 Sandro Fay Rosso Di Valtellina Tei ($15)

Go for something fresh and light like a Vinho Verde (the low alcohol also comes in handy when the heat gets dialed up). Or, since traditional Ethiopian beverages tend to be sweet and honey-based, a juicy Shiraz works well, too.

Try: 2016 Aveleda Vinho Verde White ($6) or 2013 Mt. Monster Shiraz ($13)

Potatoes. Beef. Tomatoes. Beets. These staple ingredients scream for Cabernet Sauvignon. If sauerkraut and other pickled components are on the menu, try a floral, almost candy-like Gewurtztraminer.

Try: 2015 Proemio Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) or 2014 Domaine Charles Baur Gewurztraminer Pfersigberg Grand Cru ($25)

Big bold flavors like chile, cilantro and pork demand a wine that’s equally big and bold, like a Grenache. Still, it’s never a bad idea to just reach for a Tecate.

Try: 2015 Barraco Rock Rose Red ($8)