Answer by: Neil Courtier
Well, all three situations come into play. Taste, time of day, lunch or dinner, but my main consideration would be what's on the table.
Merlot is softer than both Shiraz or Cabernet. If I was putting emphasis on the Indian palate & spicy food, I would avoid youthful Cabernet. Tannins react & clash with spice, so are best avoided.
All three grape varieties can of course be found in a blend, from Australia for instance & can be food friendly as a result, partularly with barbecued food.
About the Expert:With a background in luxury hotels and restaurants, then more recently in education, my passion for wine is combined with my experience and qualifications, such as the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Diploma, and the Certificate in Education for Lecturers. Wine as a subject should be approachable, enjoyable, informative and fun! Our events are always designed to increase the confidence of individuals, and make wine knowledge available to all. Visit Neil Courtier's website: Grape Sense
Answer by: Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
This is a very difficult question to answer in words as the best approach is to taste a number of wines from each of the varieties you mention. To learn the differences, you might want to purchase examples around the same price and open them side-by-side. Of course, quality and style will vary greatly according to region and maker, so you may need to repeat the test several times with different wines. That's the only way to begin to understand the taste differences and decide if one variety suits your own palate more than another.
If you are thinking about pairing wines with Indian food, that may be somewhat challenging but certainly far from impossible. Given the enormous regional variation in cuisine, it does not make sense to generalize. Here are a just few ideas to get you started:
Dry roses from the Rhone, Provence, Spain & Greece with tandoori & other foods
Light to medium bodied whites such as Macon-Villages, Pinot Bianco or Vouvray with
fish curries
Soft, medium weight reds from the Rhone, basic Shiraz or Montepulciano with lamb
dishes & vegetable curries
About the Expert:Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade, and he last served as a senior executive with a major national importer. In 2006, he launched Millesima USA, a retail entity affiliated with Europe's leading fine wine mail order company. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993, and he has been very active as an educator and speaker at wine festivals and conferences. He hosts a community television program entitled "Wine's Simple Pleasures," and is currently working on a book of original recipes and wine pairing solutions. Visit Roger C. Bohmrich, MW's website: MILLESIMA USA LLC
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