8 Best International Cusines and Their Wine Pairings

One of the most important rules of wine pairing is to match wines with the traditional cuisine of their region. But with such a wide wine variety to choose from, which one should you buy if you are ordering specialties like chicken tikka masala, Chinese fried rice or fajitas?

One of the most important rules of wine pairing is to match wines with the traditional cuisine of their region. But with such a wide wine variety to choose from, which one should you buy if you are ordering specialties like chicken tikka masala, Chinese fried rice or fajitas?

Here are a few wine options you can pair with your favorite, gratifying takeout dinner!

Indian cuisine

Among Asian cuisines, Indian food probably has the greatest notoriety for being difficult to pair with wine, due to its complex layering of spices, chili heat, and zestful flavors. Although there are no set rules for pairing wine with Indian food, there is a consensus among most sommeliers and wine stewards that include the following:

To counterbalance the spiciness of the dish, go for a sweet wine—such as Pinot Gris (better known as Pinot Grigio), Riesling, Gewürztraminer or Moscato—that has some residual sugar. To complement spicier foods, go for mineral based and acidic wines that complement and enhance the spices.

Here are the two most popular Indian take out curries and wines to pair them with.

1. Chicken tikka masala

[Côtes du Rhône unoaked Chardonnay. | Photo Source: Pinterest | Chicken tikka masala. | Photo Source: Pinterest]

Pairing wine with foods that are comprised of heavy sauces or curries can be difficult because these dishes are often complexly spiced, marinated, seared in butter and layered with cream. Select a wine depending on how creamy and searingly hot the curry is. Red wine can complement most curries with modest amounts of dairy, but for a thicker gravy, you may want try a wine that has a higher acid content, like white wines.

Some of the wines that match well with tikka dishes are Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, sweet Riesling, Syrah, Beaujolais, red and white Cotes du Rhone or Rhone-style wines.

2. Saag Paneer

[Domaine de Bernier unoaked Chardonnay (France) | Photo Source: Pinterest | Saag paneer. | Photo Source: Pinterest]

For green sauces such as saag paneer (minced spinach and chunks of cottage cheese), white wines work almost exclusively regardless of protein—which is cheese, in this case. Also, a fully dry rosé pairs well with this delicacy.

Some of the wines that also go well with saag paneer include dry Chenin Blanc; dry Riesling; Muller-Thurgau; unoaked Chardonnay, like Chablis; Sauvignon Blanc; Albarino; Pinot Blanc; or Cabernet Franc rosé.

Thai cuisine

To complement the exotic flavors of Thailand’s dishes, look for wines with tropical notes like pineapple, mango, peaches, apricots, lemongrass, and even wines with floral flavors. Here are wine options for the two most common Thai dishes:

Pad Thai

[Riesling Kabinett | Photo Source: Pinterest | Pad Thai | Photo Source: Pinterest]

Pad Thai is a traditional street dish of noodles, which includes sugar, tamarind, dried shrimp, fish sauce and is usually served with crushed peanuts or chili and lime. For this dish, look for German Riesling, especially those labeled from the first two categories in the range from semi-sweet to the sweetest: Kabinett, spätlese, auslese, beer en auslese, to trocken beer en auslese. (The latter three are dessert wines and, therefore, are too sweet.)

Some other alternatives include Pinot Noir, Alsace Pinot Gris, New Zealand Pinot Gris or a crispy Sauvignon Blanc.

Thai Curry

[Italian Prosecco sparkling wine | Photo Source: Pinterest | Thai curry | Photo Source: finecooking.com]

Spicy foods like Thai curry pairs best with fruity and or aromatic wines that have some sweetness to cool and refresh the palate after each bite of fiery hot food. Go for Gewürztraminer (especially one with a bit of sweetness). Bubbly also works well with spicy foods.

Chinese cuisine

When it comes to choosing alcoholic beverages, beer is often preferred as the drink to serve with Chinese food. Pairing the typical Chinese takeout menu—with its exotic layer of spices, bold use of ginger, chili and soy sauce—with wine could be tricky. But there is hope for those who crave wine with their wontons and fried rice: think German. Mildly sweet Riesling and off-dry Gewürztraminer, (another German white wine) could be your answer.

Check out the two most ordered Chinese dishes and wines to go with it.

Fried rice

[Gundlach Bundschu Gewürztraminer | Photo Source: www.personswines.com | Fried rice | Photo Source: Pinterest]

An American gewürztraminer adds complementary fruity flavors and sweetness to the exotic flavors of coconut, mango and ginger of this staple dish. Plus, this sweet-smelling white wine stands up to scrambled eggs (often found in fried rice).

General Tso’s Chicken

[Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir | Photo Source: Pinterest | General Tso’s Chicken | Photo Source: Pinterest]

General Tso’s Chicken may not be an authentic Chinese dish (its origins can be traced back to Taiwan), but it is offered on the menu of every Chinese restaurant in the United States. Gewürztraminer, a dry yet oily aromatic white wine with tangerines, white peach and lychee flavors, help counterbalance the sugar in the Americanized version of General Tso’s Chicken.

Not a fan of Gewürztraminer? Pinot Noir, Riesling, and less-well-known varietals like Marquees deCaceres, dry rosé from Spain, Rodney Strong, Zinfandel from California are good wines to pair with this dish as well.

Mexican

Mexican food has a lot of flavors and spices that are not normally seen as wine-friendly. These fiesta dishes pair best with beer and tequila, but there are startlingly delicious matches with wine too.

Tex-Mex dishes 

[Gaetano D’Aquino Pinot Grigio | Photo Source: Pinterest | Tex-Mex dishes | Photo Source: Pinterest]

From the tanginess of the salsa to the creaminess of sour cream, there is a lot packed in a Tex-Mex (Texan–Mexican) dish—especially nachos, burritos, and hard-shell tacos. A subtle Pinot Grigio works best with for this mix of flavors.

Cochinita Pibil

[Shiraz | Photo Source: bhg.com | Cochinita Pibil | Photo Source: Pinterest]

Cochinita Pibil (slow roasted pork), one of Mexico’s highly seasoned classic Christmas dishes, is every bit as complex and nuanced as the great cuisines of Europe. Shiraz, Chardonnay, and Merlot are the best wines to pair with Cochinita Pibil.