Help me pair wine with food and general, and with this specific meal

September 11, 2020 8:58 AM

Like the title says, this question is a two-parter. I'm hosting a dinner that is a bit challenging to pair with wine, so I could use some wine ideas. And then, for future situations like this, I'd love to know of good online (preferably free) resources for figuring out how to pair wines with specific meals or foods.

The meal is Thai/Asian:

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce. The marinade features lime, cilantro, ginger, garlic, cumin, and chili pepper. The sauce has some of the same things as the satay, along with coconut milk and, of course, peanut (butter).

Thai Sticky Rice with Crispy Ginger, Chile, and Peanuts

Thai Sweet-Sour Cucumber Salad. This gets its sweet from sugar and sour from reduced vinegar. It also has onions (raw, but mellowed in the liquid) and some chili pepper.

posted by Mechitar to Food & Drink (7 answers total)

Wine Folly has some really good charts and infographics, including ones that illustrate flavour profiles and pairings.

Based on what you're serving, personally I would go with a drier Riesling, maybe a Viognier. Any dry white that features strong notes of stone fruit and citrus would do well here, methinks.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:22 AM on September 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

While I totally agree with mandolin conspiracy, and would probably follow their advice if I were to eat your proposed meal today, it might be an idea to go with a somewhat sweeter white wine. Still an Alsace, but not as dry. Or an Austrian wine that isn't too dry.
I'm not suggesting a sweet wine, just a wine that has gentler notes. Specially if your meal is very spicy, a bit of sweetness in the wine may make sense.
posted by mumimor at 2:07 PM on September 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

Or just fruitiness.
posted by mumimor at 2:07 PM on September 11, 2020

Definitely agree with something with a bit more sweetness/fruitiness depending on the spiciness of your dishes.

I should add: don't overlook some of the lesser-marketed white varietals and/or DOCs, like Greco, Pecorino, Grüner Veltliner, or even Moschofilero. If you've got access to a knowledgeable wine retailer, you might want to ask about those. They can often be really well-priced for what they are (i.e., bang for your buck).

I've had nice examples of all of these that have a higher sugar content than I'd normally go for, and they are quite nice.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:16 PM on September 11, 2020

I have served Viognier with Thai coconut curries and enjoyed that combo. I also like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with Thai food, although that’s not a wine I see recommended as often on those “pairing” sites...I like the fresh minerality of wines from NZ juxtaposed with the richness of a peanut sauce or coconut milk.
posted by little mouth at 4:13 PM on September 11, 2020

I really like Gewurztraminer with Thai food, although Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris are also excellent. My favorite is The Hogue.

For the second part of your question, your library should have books about wine or cookbooks that suggest food-wine pairings.
posted by dancing_angel at 10:20 PM on September 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

If you are in an area with a wine store that has particularly good selection and knowledgable staff, that would be a resource to lean on. If you tell them what you're cooking, what you're leaning towards and your budget, they'll be able to tell you what they have in stock that will work. (I've found it frustrating to research wines and get excited about them, and then not be able to locate/purchase them locally).
posted by bunderful at 6:21 AM on September 12, 2020 [2 favorites]