Craving an Indian curry, but not sure what wine to drink with it? From a Korma to a Saag paneer, our quick guide to pairing wine with Indian dishes has got you covered.

Before we start : Pointers on how to pair Indian food… 

First off: there’s a huge range of flavours and ingredients in Indian food, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. However, generally speaking, Indian dishes tend to be bold and intensely flavoured, often with rich sauces. They range from mildly spiced to super hot. In short: these dishes usually have a lot going on in them. When you think of a wine to pair with these dishes, you have to match the intensity and complexity of flavours in the food with the wine. You’re going to need wines that are aromatic and lively. 

Indian dishes are often served family-style, all at once, making it even trickier finding a match that works with all of them. In this case, your safest bet is to opt for an aromatic, fruity rosé, one that is darker in colour, such as a Spanish Rosado, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo from Italy or some of our favourite rosés: Chateau de Minière Rosé (which has a lot of punch despite the light colour) or Chateau Heritage rosé from Lebanon.

Consider the spice levels

If your dish is spicy, you’re going to want to offset the heat. Not only does your wine need to be served nicely chilled, but it also needs a touch of sweetness. Naturally slightly sweet wines such as Riesling or Gewurztraminer are versatile and work well. A Moscato d’Asti is another contender, one that is bursting with flowery aromas (but make sure it’s one that has a bit of complexity).

Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc from Alsace pair with mild to medium-hot curries. A semi-sweet Vouvray from the Loire Valley is another all-rounder, with its high acidity levels and residual sugar. Plenty of acidity is always good because the acidity has the effect of cutting through any oiliness in the dish, leaving your palate refreshed. Also, most sommeliers suggest keeping alcohol low, as high alcohol levels magnify the perception of heat. Ticking all these boxes is the bright pink Quercioli Rosato, a Lambrusco with residual sugar, tonnes of refreshing acidity and low alcohol levels. 

Consider the sauce

Besides spice levels, you can identify different levels of sauce intensity in Indian food. Spicy tomato-based dishes such as Vindaloo, but also Jalfrezi, are intensely spiced, but also have plenty of acidity from the gravy. An aromatic (sparkling) rosé would work in these cases, or a lightly chilled red wine such as Gamay, Zweigelt or even a simple, fruity Valpolicella.

Dishes that have a thicker, creamier gravy such as Korma, but also Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala go with a wine that also feels ‘creamier’ on the palate. In wine-making terms: wines that have undergone malolactic fermentation where the malic acid (like apples) has been transformed into lactic acid (like milk). The sauces in these dishes, whether they be coconut, yoghurt or heavy cream-based, diffuse the spice levels but retain the flavour. Here, we could suggest a chilled, fruity style (unoaked) Chardonnay, a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier (an aromatic grape we love – especially this label from Lebanon) or even a slightly oaked Lugana (steer clear from too much oak).

If your sauce is creamy, but also green (such as Saag paneer), you can go for a white wine that has a herbaceous touch, such as an Albariño from Spain, or a Grüner Veltliner. 

What about red wines?

In many cases, red wines aren’t the first consideration when pairing with Indian food, but it’s not impossible. In general, skip the Bordeaux, Barolos or other tannin-rich, oaked red wines. The tannins in these wines clash with the spice, leaving your wine taste bitter and astringent. We mentioned the Gamay (a Beaujolais), Zweigelt or Valpolicella before, but an unoaked Lagrein from Northern Italy or our favourite sparkling Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley would work too, especially with meatier dishes, such as Rogan Josh (lamb stew). 

Some Indian Food & Wine Pairings to try:

For deep-fried snacks like samosas or pakoras
Our suggestion would be bubbles which aren’t too dry, look for a dry (which is sweeter than an extra dry or a brut). This Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze has considerable residual sugar and a long finish. 

For creamier, thicker curries such as Korma that aren’t super spicy
Aromatic white wines with a little more oomph, but not too oaked would do it here. Look for whites which were produced not last year but the year before – this will indicate some aging in oak rather than steel. 

For spicy tomato-based dishes such as Vindaloo
Consider an aromatic (sparkling) rosé (try a Lambrusco!), or a simple, fruity Valpolicella.

For green sauces (such as Saag paneer)
Go for a white with a herbaceous touch, such as a Grüner Veltliner or a Sauvignon Blanc. 

For meat stews such as Rogan Josh
Consider fruity, straightforward red wines that have been aged in steel. To give you an indication, look out for something that was made last year. Wines that are released quickly are on the whole not aged in oak. 

A selection of dishes, served family-style
Opt for an aromatic, fruity rosé, one that is darker in colour, maybe even a sparkler, such as a Lambrusco.