Thai cuisine is renowned for its unique combination of sweet, salty, spicy and sour flavours, thanks to the use of fresh ingredients such as lime, chillies, coriander and ginger. Enhancing these dishes with the right wines can elevate an already great meal into an unforgettable gastronomic experience. In this guide, we explore how to pair specific wines with three of Thailand's best-loved specialities: Pad Thai, Tom Yum Goong and Kaeng Luaeng, helping you discover new flavours and enhance your overall dining experience.

Wine and Thai cuisine

Thai cuisine is famous for its harmonious combination of sweet, salty, spicy and sour flavours. Pairing the right wine with these dishes can enhance the unique characteristics of each ingredient, creating a complete and satisfying dining experience. Thai soups, such as the famous Tom Yum, are characterised by intense and spicy flavours, often with citrus and spicy notes. To balance and contrast these flavours, it is recommended to opt for a Sauvignon Blanc, with its lively acidity and herbaceous notes, a dry Marsala for a complex flavour dimension, or a Riesling offering a freshness and slight sweetness. Thai curry dishes, such as Kaeng Luaeng and Massaman, are rich and creamy, and pair perfectly with a Riesling, whose acidity balances the creaminess of the curry, or a Traminer Aromatico, whose spicy and floral notes harmonise with the spices. For dishes such as Satay and other meat preparations, the best wines are Chardonnay, Malvasia, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Primitivo. Finally, for fish dishes, a Petite Arvine or Riesling are the most suitable choice, due to their ability to enhance the delicate flavours of fish. 

Pad Thai and aromatic white wine

Pad Thai is a dish of stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp, tofu, egg and a sweet and sour tamarind sauce. To enhance the complexity of flavours of this dish, we recommend pairing it with an aromatic white wine such as Riesling or Gewürztraminer, wines that are also suitable for the vegetarian variant with tofu. These wines offer a freshness and slight sweetness that perfectly balance the savouriness and slight acidity of Pad Thai, creating a harmonious balance. For Pad Thai with duck, however, we recommend a Pinot Noir or Primitivo, while with fried chicken it is best to opt for a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. The ideal wine to accompany Pad Thai with grilled chicken is a Viognier or rosé. 

Tom Yum Goong and dry white wine

Tom Yum Goong is a spicy soup made with prawns, mushrooms, lemongrass, galanga and kaffir lime leaves. Its strong spicy and citrus component calls for a wine that can both counteract the heat and amplify the fresh flavours. A Sauvignon Blanc, with its lively acidity and herbaceous aromas, is an ideal match. This wine can cleanse the palate and enhance the citrus and spicy notes of the dish.

Kaeng Luaeng and rosé wine

Kaeng Luaeng, also known as yellow curry, is a fish dish with a light and creamy curry sauce. For this dish, a dry rosé wine or a rosé sparkling wine may be the perfect choice. The rosé offers good acidity and a light tannic structure that complement the creaminess of the curry, while its red fruit and citrus flavours harmonise with the spices of the dish.

Buy now at Svinando and elevate your dining experience with our high-quality wines: be inspired by our pairing suggestions. Enjoy and cheers!

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