Don't Bring A Kitten to Fight a Tiger | Wine and Spicy Food

Don't bring a kitten to a tiger fight. That's my rule when it comes to wine and Sichuan hotpot.

Many people suggest pairing sweat-inducing hotpot with light off-dry Riesling – that's a kitten. But I find it goes better with bigger bolder riper wine – a juicy fruit bomb. Tiger versus tiger.

The wine need not be high in alcohol or tannin, as it can make the hotpot seem even hotter. A medium- to big-bodied wine with lots of ripe fruit does the trick. One of my favorite hotpot experiences featured juicy California Merlot, a wine that we doubted would pair but worked wonderfully, and I've also had good times with Grenache and Zinfandel, too.

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Of course, that's just the experience of one person and one dish in a diverse world of spice. Just think of how different are fiery foods such as curry, kimchi, mápó tofu and Buffalo wings.

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Needless to say, there is no "one wine fits all" solution for all these unique flavors, not to mention the unique taste of each imbiber.

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So, that means room for kittens, too. Many people point to beer as best for spicy food. Beer cleans the palate and has fairly low alcohol, so you can guzzle lots of it to put out that fire in your mouth.

Those seeking a wine alternative could turn to Moscato d'Asti – we learned about it last time. It has just 5% alcohol, sweetness to soothe your tastes buds and effervescence to clear the palate. Maybe such a kitten can't beat a tiger, but 100 kittens – 100 sips – can put up a good fight!

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No matter what experts recommend, your own taste buds will tell you what spicy foods and what wine pairings are best for you. And it's far better to enjoy a dish you like and a wine you like, even if it's a nontraditional pairing than to suffer through what an expert claims is a 'perfect match' but doesn't appeal to you. Have fun figuring out which cat is best for you.

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Original by Jim Boyce, Grape Wall of China 葡萄围城

Why not take advantage of the upcoming three-day Hot & Spicy Festival hosted by theBeijinger this weekend at Galaxy SOHO? Not only will you experience chilli-induced ecstasy courtesy offered by the best spicy food vendors in Beijing, but take your taste buds on an adventure to the variety of high-quality wines and Swiss beers supplied at CHEERS’ onsite booth, then find your cutest cat.

Picture credit: thebeijinger.com