Wines to Pair with Spicy Foods
Sommelier’s Guide to Pairing Wine with Spicy Food
Cooling the Fire, One Bottle at a Time
Most people assume chili heat kills wine. It doesn’t- it just punishes the wrong bottle. Pick smart and spice becomes a feature, not a flaw.
The playbook is simple: a hint of residual sugar to douse the fire, sharp acidity for a palate rinse, and moderate alcohol so capsaicin doesn’t feel like napalm. If you reach for a red, keep the tannins low. Bitterness and metal notes are spice multipliers.
Below, you’ll see our minimalist shortlist; each wine matched to a specific global cuisine. From numbing Szechuan stir-fries to smoky Mexican mole and bright Thai green curry, every bottle here earns its place by cooling the burn and pushing flavor forward.
Homefire Old Vine Zinfandel Hales Vineyard Sonoma County 2018
Perfect with
Spice-driven dishes
Why it works
Balanced fruit and a hint of sweetness tame capsaicin.
Domaine de lAbbaye Clos Beylesse Cotes de Provence Rose 2024
Perfect with
Spice-driven dishes
Why it works
Balanced fruit and a hint of sweetness tame capsaicin.
Nashville Hot & Buffalo Wings
Cantina della Volta CDV Brutrosso Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC Metodo Classico 2018
Perfect with
Nashville hot chicken · Buffalo wings · spice-rubbed ribs
Why it works
Light fizz + slight sweetness calm cayenne burn and match fried spice.
Hubert Meyer Cremant D'alsace Brut Sparkling Rose
Perfect with
Spice-driven dishes
Why it works
Balanced fruit and a hint of sweetness tame capsaicin.
Malat RAW Gewurztraminer Orange 2023
Perfect with
Spice-driven dishes
Why it works
Balanced fruit and a hint of sweetness tame capsaicin.
Citrus-Spiked Ceviche & Hot Seafood
Bodegas El Paraguas Atlantico Blanco 2020
Perfect with
Peruvian ceviche · aguachile · spicy octopus salad
Why it works
Saline snap & citrus zest echo lime-chili marinades and seafood brine.
Best wines to pair with red meat
- Homefire Old Vine Zinfandel Hales Vineyard Sonoma County 2018 – $16.87 –
- Domaine de lAbbaye Clos Beylesse Cotes de Provence Rose 2024 – $31.99 –
- Cantina della Volta CDV Brutrosso Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC Metodo Classico 2018 – $26.99 –
- Hubert Meyer Cremant D'alsace Brut Sparkling Rose – $24.99 –
- Malat RAW Gewurztraminer Orange 2023 – $25.99 –
- Bodegas El Paraguas Atlantico Blanco 2020 – $34.99 –
