Riesling with spicy dishes

 It can be tricky pairing wines with spicy dishes such as Chinese or Thai. A lot of Asian cuisines have enough flavor and spice to overpower even the post potent reds.

Your meal is not supposed to compete with your wine. If you pair a chicken mango curry with a full-bodied Syrah, it will attack your taste buds with overdose of flavor, and you won't be able to appreciate either--the meal or the wine.

There is one grape, however, that does the job beautifully.

And that grape is Riesling.

Riesling is probably the most misunderstood and undervalued grape in the world. Some have the misconception it only produces sweet, low-alcohol wine. Some don't buy it because they can't remember those German labels. And some just don't know how to handle it. Serve it with dinner? On its own?

Originally from Germany, Riesling is a cool climate grape, naturally possessing very high levels of acidity--a quality that makes wine taste fresh, bright and balanced on the tongue. This makes Riesling a very versatile and food-friendly grape--it can produce wines satisfying the whole sweetness spectrum, from bone dry to uber-sweet (dessert wines).

Spicy foods--Indian or Thai curries, or Chinese noodle dishes--pair well with off-dry or halbtrocken (half-dry) Rieslings, because the presence of sugar balanced with that racy acidity will cut through the hot spices and at the same time cleanse your palate so you can enjoy each bite of your meal.

Germany and Alsace, France make some of the best Rieslings on the planet. Here are some suggestions:

Alsace, France: St. Urbanshof, Trimbach, Zind Humbercht, Hugel
Mosel, Germany: Dr.Loosen, Schaefer
Washington State: Chateau St. Michelle
New Zealand: Cloudy Bay, Spy Valley (in Marlborough, land of Sauvignon Blanc)