I’m told it is National Curry Week this week, the 20th one. You could visit one of several Indian restaurants marking the occasion or cook a good curry at home. With that in mind I’ve realised how many dishes I cook with a kick of heat. Here’s some white wines I’ve enjoyed with all things spice.
Four wines for National Curry Week
Villa Maria Private Bin Gewurztraminer 2016 (RRP, £11.45, stockists include Waitrose, Majestic and Wine Rack, 13.5% abv) I was once described as like gewurztraminer wine, mysterious, a bit spicy, but with feminine touches. I think the jury is out on that one. However, as for the wine, I love it; with a gewurtz you’ll get rose petal notes (think Turkish delight) and lychee, and in this example, a flirt with sweet spice. I cooked chicken Thai green curry with a scattering of finely chopped chilli on the top and enjoyed tucking into this little pairing.
Cune Barrel Fermented Blanco 2016 (RRP: £10.15, Waitrose, The Co-op, 13.5%) Chicken korma is one of my favourite curries and white rioja is one of my favourite wines. It’s not often I describe a wine as having aromas of bananas and cream, but I think I am, right now. Bananas are definitely on the nose of this 100 per cent viura wine – which is fermented in oak casks – together with apples and a playfulness of pineapple and papaya. The rich coconut crunch of the chicken sauce added to the tropicality and gentle creaminess of the wine.
Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2015 (RRP £13.99 thewinesociety.com, 13.5% abv) White wines from the Rhône Valley are few and far between as they only make up for 3% of the total wine production. This one is a blend of six different varieties, with viognier leading from the front with 65%, and roussanne, marsanne, clairette, bourboulenc and grenache blanc in the remainder. The wine is prettily aromatic, with springtime blossom, apricot and peach all saying hello to your senses. I slowly cooked crispy pork belly in Chinese five spice, and served a spicy Thai salad on the side. Delicious.
Wente Riverbank Riesling 2014 (RRP £15.49, richardgrangerwines.co.uk, farehamwinecellar.co.uk, 12.4% abv) This wine owes its heart and soul to deep rocky soil on the banks of the Arroyo Seco River in Monterey County, California, where the grapes are harvested. It has aromas of dried honeycomb, mango, Thai basil and lime and is refreshing on the palate, with a good cleansing acidity. If you think of a prawn noodle stir fry with a dash of dried chilli flakes, then you won’t go far wrong. I sneaked a nibble of extra strong mature cheddar as a mid-evening snack, and a tiny sip of this, and hey, I was a happy bunny.
National Curry Week 2017 runs from the 9th-15th October. More on National Curry Week here and follow them on Twitter here
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