WINE FOOD SPECIAL Confused about which Indian food to pair your wine with? 

Here are some easy combinations for you

Indian food and wine pairings are like marriages made on earth (and not heaven). Indian food with its robust character does not easily pair up with another strong partner (wine). In the traditional wine drinking countries of the west (like Europe), wine has always been a part of their religion and customs. Every church there had its own little vineyard and fermented their own wine. Locally made wine is used for communions and baptism. Their cold climate and culture ensured that the wine and food has evolved complementing each other. However, India presents a different story...
CAN INDIAN SNACK TASTE WELL WITH WINE? 
India is a relatively recent entrant in the wine scene and pairing it with Indian food is still a privilege enjoyed by the rich and urban elite.
Extensive use of spices, coconut, onions, groundnuts etc make it a challenge to generalise a wine to this varied cuisine. White wine with white meat and red with red meat holds good when it comes to most cuisines but in India maybe pairing the wine with net result of (all the spices blending, cooking and garnishing) the dish like spicy or tangy or sweet or creamy rather than pairing it with just one ingredient like meat, fish or poultry would work better.
HANDY INDIAN SNACKING IDEAS

We have some good Syrah, Chenin Blanc that pairs well with most Indian spiciness. Even a lightly oaked Chardonnay enhances the dining experience. Sula, Grover, Fratelli are a few names popular with the Indian wine drinkers.
* White wines provide most matches with our food especially foods rich in lemon.
* With Reds, it is best to avoid wines with high tannins and oak especially with foods like the tandoori, spicy food. Look for lighter bodied red wines. Cabernets, Zinfandels, Merlot and Shirazes when served cool can work well.
* To counter the 'heat' of the food, a good chilled wine with a hint of residual sugar always works wonders. German Riesling and the Alsace Gewurztraminer are two varietals with a reputation of going well with our spicy cuisine. An Alsatian Pinot Gris with delicate creaminess also complements well with the textures of the Indian cuisine

* Sec and Demi-sec sparkling wines work rather well with dishes like chicken/paneer tikka and other kebabs. Rose from Grenache with its refreshing acidity works great with dishes like Chicken Korma and stew, which have coconut milk and yogurt without overpowering it. Sip it up!

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