In my experience spicier the food lower in tannin the wine should be to better complement the dish. Hot spices like chilli reduce the sweetness in wine, therefore dry wines can taste even more astringent.

Red wines with ripe fruit flavours, soft tannins and a good level of acidity from Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese grapes, like some Supertuscans, or from Shiraz, Aglianico, Negroamaro, Primitivo, Nero D’Avola and even Pinot Noir are a perfect choice for a hot spicy dish and tandoori meat.

Spices accentuate the flavour of oak. Among white wines, unoaked or very lightly oaked wines like some Chardonnay can work well with highly spiced foods. Also, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Tocai Friulano (which from 2008 has been officially banned from wine labels exported from Italy because of the confusion with the Hungarian Tokaji or Tokay grape variety) and, in particular, aromatic wines like Gewurtztraminer can also complement spicy dishes. Out of pure curiosity, “Gewurts” is the German word for spice which suits perfectly this spicy wine with a pungent aromatic spicy nose, reminiscent of roses, cashews and lychees.

Personally, I find that spicy dishes with sour notes are best matched by the refreshing acidity in sparkling wines like Franciacorta, Prosecco and Lambrusco Grasparossa for example. On the other hand, when the spiced dish offers sweet notes, then the principle of contrasting flavours characteristics applies and the hot spicy flavours of the food will enhance the fruitiness of these accompanying sparkling wines.