LEVEL UP UR THAI TAKEOUT GAME: CHECK OUT THURSTQUEEN'S 5 MUST-TRY WEEKNIGHT WINE & THAI FOOD PAIRINGS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR FRIGGIN' MIND
Thai food is without a doubt some of the most richly layered, complicated, and surprisingly wine-friendly cuisine around. As a matter of fact, most folks who work in wine and restaurants have a soft spot for wine and Thai food pairings because when executed right, the combination of spices, acidity, sugars, and umami is some straight up mind-blowing shit. Yet for some reason, most people skip wine altogether with their Pad See Ew and hit up a nice cold bottle of beer instead. Check out this article so you too can get in on some of these pairings and take your takeout night to the next freaking level.
PAIRING ONE: CHICKEN PAD THAI W/ ORANGE WINE
Pad Thai’s nutty, fatty and richer qualities practically demand a wine with enough tannin and structure that can stand up to the dish’s richness yet cut through those intense flavors. With all that in mind, I’d suggest steering clear of a big red wine that would overpower the dish. Enter Orange Wine. For folks not in the know, Orange Wine is simply extended skin contact white wine, that yields a richer, copper-hued wine with loads of tannin. I’ll admit Orange Wine is a broad category, and some Oranges are salty while others are super aromatic, and some are just straight up funky. For Pad Thai I’d look for a very tannic expression of Orange Wine, or an Orange Wine that skews more on the aromatic side. Check out Orange Wines from Slovenia, like Marjan Simčič’s Pinot Grigio Ramato or Dario Prinčič’s Ribolla Gialla from the Friuli region in Italy.
PAIRING TWO: SPRING ROLLS W/ ROSÉ CAVA
Crunchy, crispy fried Spring Rolls with a sweet chili dipping sauce seems like a difficult food to pair with wine. But fear not, Thurstqueen, because if you follow this blog on the regular, you’ll know that sparkly wines are all caps amazing when paired with fried foods of any and all kinds. A crisp and fresh Rosé Cava will be the answer to your prayers with this dish. For those not in the know, Cava is Spain’s answer to Champagne. These fresh – and often significantly cheaper – little sparklers should definitely be in your arsenal whenever you want to pair your meals with something bubbly. A slightly fruity and fresh rosé Cava will go great with this dish, and you can count on those little palate cleansing bubbles to work their magic between bites. Check out Cava offerings from Cellers de Can Suriol and Pere Mata from the Penedès region in Catalunya.
PAIRING THREE: SOM TUM (GREEN PAPAYA SALAD) & RIESLING
This fresh, spicy AF and crunchy salad all but begs to be paired with Riesling. Riesling is one of those wines that I consider an LBD – aka “Little Black Dress” – wine. That means Riesling pretty much goes with anything and can be the ultimate pairing wine for any and all occasions. Basically, when in doubt – choose Riesling. For this pairing, opt for a Riesling with just a touch of sweetness, or what we like to call “residual sugar,” in the biz. You can often find wines with a touch of residual from the Mosel Valley in Germany, as that is the classic style from that region. If you’re sketched out on the idea of a little bit of sweetness in your wine – check out one of my earlier blog posts that lauds the benefits of pairing sweeter wines with spicy food. The kiss of extra sugar in the wine plays the spice down a bit, while amplifying other flavors of the papaya and veggies. Check out Rieslings from Weiser Kuntsler and the ultimate legend in the Mosel, Peter Lauer.
PAIRING FOUR: PAD SEE EW & CARBONIC REDS
Delicious sweet and savory Pad See Ew has loads of salty and sour goodness from all that delicious soy sauce. This dish is usually served with chicken or beef and demands all the bold red fruit of a red wine. I recommend pairing Pad See Ew with a carbonic – or glou glou – red. These juicy and fruity wines are soft in tannin and damn drinkable because of a process called “Carbonic Maceration.” During Carbonic Maceration, the fermentation process starts on an intracellular level, where the grapes ferment from the inside out. Carbonic reds usually have aromas of bubblegum, banana, and an oh so soft and bouncy texture. They aren’t overly aggressive and their heightened acidity will cut perfectly through the fattier texture of the Pad See Ew. If you’re looking for some Carbonic Wines, check out Los Bermejos Listan Negro Maceración Carbonica, a delicious lighter-bodied red from the Canary Islands. You can also hit up a juicy bottle of Carbonic Alicante Bouchet from Texas-based producer, Southfork Cellars.
PAIRING FIVE: PANANG CURRY & VIOGNIER
Panang Curry paste is made up of plenty of spices that range from chili peppers to galangal to lime leaves. The curry is simmered in coconut milk, yielding a rich and aromatic dish with a bit of heat. Viognier is a fuller-bodied, rich and floral white wine that typically comes from the Northern Rhône Valley. The weight of this wine will stand up to the creamy heartiness of the sauce, and those fleshy mango aromas will intersperse nicely with those lime and galangal flavors. This pairing is all about aromatics and is a heady one indeed!