Pairing spicy food with wine can be tricky and depends a lot on your taste. If you like it hot (fiiiiiiiiirebomb!) I would suggest other wines than if you like to contain the heat.

White wines that go well with spicy food are for example off-dry Rieslings, especially if there is a sweet touch in the food. If you like to fire it up a bold Chardonnay from California can lift the spices.

Personally, I love sparkling wines with spicy food and also dry rosé.

Red wine sounds more difficult but it doesn’t have to be. I always try to find components in the food that match the wine. Think of spices like cinnamon, cloves, pepper, ginger or cardamom. These can be found in wines too.

If I want to contain the heat, I would go for a jammier Pinot noir or a fruity Beaujolais. If I want my mouth to be on fire with spicy and alcohol I choose something bolder like a Malbec.

Other great options can be Grenache based wines, Côte du Rhone, Merlot or Zinfandel.

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