Wine Varietals and Styles 193
Ingredients for Sauce
28 oz (800 g) sugar
3 cups (710 ml) red wine
3 cups (710 ml) water
1 orange, sliced(^1) / 2 vanilla pod, split
3 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
Pinch of Szechuan pepper
6 pears, still firm to the touch
12 dried figs
Poaching Preparation
Dissolve the sugar in the red wine and water. Add the sliced
orange, split vanilla pod, star anise, cinnamon, and
Szechuan pepper and bring to a boil. Peel the pears
and poach them and the dried figs in this liquid until
the pears are tender but still firm. Cool the pears and
figs in the liquid and reserve. (The pears and half the
figs are not used in this recipe, but you will have a
great dessert.)
WINE VARIETALS AND STYLES
In both food and wine, spice flavors can take on a variety of characteristics—for example,
being sweet, savory, or hot. A number of white and red varietals are described as having
spice characteristics. The classic spicy white varietal is Gewu ̈rztraminer. This wine tends to
have exotic fruit flavors as well as flavors of many sweet spices, including nutmeg, cloves,
ginger, or allspice. (The name of the wine, in fact, most likely means ‘‘aromatic Traminer,’’
where Traminer is the name of the grape from which it is made. In Fruili, Italy, you can
The spicy red grape Syrah
(also known as Shiraz) in the
Côtes du Rhône, France
(courtesy of Carroll Falcon).
still find a wine called Traminer Aromatico, another regional
name for Gewu ̈rztraminer.)^7 The exotic fruit flavors and sweet
spices associated with Gewu ̈rztraminer make it the go-to wine
recommendation with Asian, Mexican, and Indian food. Spicy
Gewu ̈rztraminers are available from the Alsace area of France,
Germany, Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, and California.
The classic spicy red varietal is Syrah or Shiraz (two differ-
ent names for the same grape). Shiraz wines provide flavors of
both savory and sweet spices. A signature scent is black pepper,
but you may also find spices such as cumin, dried chiles, or cin-
namon. Red wines made from the Syrah grape in the Rhoˆne valley
of France have this natural characteristic of spiciness. The Shiraz
from Australia is a full-bodied red with peppery and spicy char-
acteristics that match the full-bodied and peppery character of
Aussie-style grilled steak.
Examples of wines that potentially contain spice and herbal
elements are described in Table 9.1. Several white and red wines
echo sweet spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Many of
these same wines will have notes of peppery and savory spice, such
as black pepper, mustard seed, or a bite of horseradish. These
flavors can be combined with similar foods as long as food tang-
iness (acidity) or hot spice (heat) are not too overpowering. In the
case of sour foods, ensuring higher acidity in the wine is of greater
importance. (What does this suggest for the possibility of using
oaky Chardonnay with these foods?) Column 3 of Table 9.1 provides some suggestions for
wines that tame the hot and spicy impact of the food and prepare the palate for the next
bite.
White wines that go well with hot, spicy foods are typically off-dry, have relatively
low alcohol, and retain a good amount of acidity. Off-dry or semi-dry Rieslings are a par-
ticularly good choice in this regard. Rieslings are generally grown in cool climates, so they
retain a substantial level of natural acidity. Many wine experts believe the Riesling grape is