At the table
Curry
Fruit, freshness and sometimes a touch of sweetness to keep up with the spices without fanning the flames.
The pairing
Why it
works.
With a curry, the challenge isn't just the heat: you also need to take into account the spices, aromatics and the richness of the sauce. Fresh, aromatic and fruity wines generally have the edge.
A coconut-milk curry particularly appreciates a wine with freshness and a bit of roundness. When the dish gets spicier, a slight sweetness in the wine can calm the sensation of heat. With a drier, milder curry, you can also go for a very supple, fruity rosé or red.
In practice
The spicier your curry, the less you want perceptible tannins and alcohol. Look instead for fruit, good acidity and, when the heat rises, a hint of sweetness. The wine should refresh the palate rather than compete with the spices.
In the glass
What to
look for.
The LPV selection
Four bottles
for this dish.
A selection chosen from our bottle library based on their profile and affinity with this dish.
We don’t have an alcohol-free bottle to recommend with this dish yet. Our selection is growing.
What to avoid
Very tannic reds, heavily oaked wines and very high-alcohol bottles. With a spicy curry, they can amplify the heat and make the pairing feel heavy.
When serving
Serve whites and rosés around 8–10 °C. A light red can be slightly chilled, around 13–14 °C.