Wine With . . . Shrimp Curry

by Paul Lukacs and Marguerite Thomas

Curry is one of our favorite comfort foods.  We sometimes make it from scratch, but especially on harried weekday evenings, we often use a prepared sauce.  (Among the brands we like, the Taj brand curry sauces available at Whole Foods and other markets are particularly appealing.)  We'll use fish, chicken, pork, leftover lamb or, as in this case, shrimp--just about anything works.  Make a pot of rice, simmer the meat or seafood in the curry sauce, and voila--you've got a warm, comforting supper.

In the past, we've tended to drink aromatic white wines like Riesling or Gewurztraminer with curry, but for this edition of "Wine With . . ." we included a number of different types as well.  The results both confirmed and challenged our expectations.  The Gewurztraminer we tried paired beautifully, but the Riesling (an Australian rendition) lost its subtlety and tasted dull.  Much the same was true of a dry Rosé from Provence, two Sauvignon Blancs (one from California and the other from New Zealand), and both a Pinot Grigio and an Orvietto from Italy.  While our curry was far from fiery, the spices in the dish simply overwhelmed these wines.  By contrast, two of the three reds we tried, an Australian Shiraz and a Sonoma County Zinfandel, ended up overpowering the shrimp.  But a rich Chardonnay, which we guessed might be too opulent, was delicious.  As was a Pinot Noir, which we'd included just for kicks.  Who knew?

We tasted fourteen different wines with our shrimp curry, which we served over basmati rice.  The wines that worked best all were fairly full-bodied, with lush textures and rich flavors.  What was intriguing about them when paired with the curry is that the dish made all of them seem leaner and more refined than they did when tasted on their own.  The spice enhanced the wines, just as the wines did the food.

Selection

Approx. Price

Comments

J. B. Adam,

Alsace

(France)

Gewurztraminer Réserve

2003

(Imported by Chapin Cellars)

  $20

This was a textbook example of why Gewurztraminer is such a classic with curry, as the hint of rose petal in the bouquet and the slightly sweet flavors mingled perfectly with the complex spices in the sauce.  A further bonus came from the wine's generous, almost viscous texture, which mirrored the density of the shrimp.

Bouchaine,

Carneros

(California)

Pinot Noir

2003

  $25

While red wine can be tough to pair with curry (and certainly with shrimp), the smooth, lush texture, slight spiciness, and engaging fruitiness of this California Pinot made it an almost chutney-like companion.  We were surprised, and delighted.

Concha Y Toro

Marques de Casa Concha,

Maipo Valley

(Chile)

Chardonnay

2004

(Imported by Banfi Vintners)

 $18

This rich, fulsome Chardonnay lost some of its rambunctious character when it met up with the curry, but it gained elegance, making the combination truly delicious.  We tried a lighter, less lavish Chardonnay as well, but it simply lost its edge with the dish.

Mumm Napa,

Napa Valley

(California)

Blanc de Noirs

  $18

Beer is popular with curry because the bubbles control the heat.  The same thing happened with this wine.  A rich sparkler, with red berry flavors, it gained delicacy when paired with the curry, and so was a truly refreshing partner.

Wild Horse,

Central Coast

(California)

Viognier

2004

  $20

On its own, this Viognier revealed little varietal personality, but the curry brought out its latent floral and summer fruit character.  It had just enough weight on the palate to make it a good match for what is a fairly substantial dish.