Comments on: Impossible food wine pairings: pad thai!

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:00:58 +0000

I work in a wine store, and this is actually a very simple food and wine pairing compared to the recommendations I have to give. I have had customers ask me for a wine to go well with scrambled eggs! I think a nice semi-dry riesling or viognier would work best with the dish. Reds are trickier, but anything with low tannins would be suitable.

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:09:35 +0000

So many great suggestions.

I have to say that I am quite intrigued by the idea of Prosecco. Some time ago, while in Sydney, I paired a simple, inexpensive Brown Brothers NV Pinot Noir Chardonnay with Vietnamese with great results.

However, I think that the people suggesting German grapes and wines might be on to something. In fact, there’s a fairly popular Thai-German fusion restaurant in Bangkok. So, I think my vote is for a German Riesling. The Schloss Schönborn Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Kabinett is a bit of a winner.

By: Randolph Siverson

Randolph Siverson — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 18:54:29 +0000

There is a marvelous Thai restaurant in Las Vegas, the Lotus of Siam, with an extensive wine list. The major category is German Riesling. The same is true of the Slanted Door in SF’s Ferry Building.
RS

By: Eric R

Eric R — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:39:52 +0000

Semi Dry Riesling. The pad thai sauce is composed of lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar (some also put a dash of green tamarind) along with red chilis for the heat.
True pad thai then has garlic, ginger and cilantro. The spice, lime and cilantro aspects all fall towards riesling. The peanuts are simply a light garnish, so unless the pad thai you are having is laced with different ingredients, or an abundance of peanuts…S-D Riesling…

By: Sarag\h

Sarag\h — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 20:35:14 +0000

Prosecco, Cava, and more young inexpensive sparkles!

By: el jefe

el jefe — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:01:14 +0000

Thai ice tea. Oh wait, we’re talking wine. I’d go with Grenache, slightly chilled.

By: Gene

Gene — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:28:09 +0000

I would go with a nice Zweigelt Rose like Tegeershoff 2006 (sp?, $12-15), or as a commenter suggested, a very classic gruner. My particular fave recently has been Rudi Pichler’s 2006 Smargad Wachau ($22-26).

Another suggestion would be an Austrian sparkler such as Brundlmayer or Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve 2004 (both $27-32) (can you tell I like Austrian wines?).

If you’d like a Riesling, I would imagine that a lower Mosel one would be a good bet. Knebel 2005 Kabinett Feinherb ($20-25) would be a solid choice, I think. It has a nice velvety structure that is subtly aromatic. I think it would pair well with the Pad Thai. On the sweeter side, something with a serious level of minerality like Willi Schaefer’s Graacher Domprobst 2005 Spatlese #7 ($28-35) or Schloss Lieser’s Brauneberger Juffer 2006 Kabinett ($20-25) would do the trick.

If you’re not too keen on the Germanics, I think a daring pairing choice would be a Dolcetto d’Alba. I’ve generally found it to go well with quite a wide variety of food.

By: Silvia M.Rosa from Brazil

Silvia M.Rosa from Brazil — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 21:34:47 +0000

I love Pad Thai, only 4 or 5 restaurants in Sao Paulo have it. No takeouts, unfortunately…
I would go with a Rosé wine: two choices actually, a Portuguese ‘Monte seis Reis Rose’, which is almost a clairette and a Brazilian one: Villa Francioni Rose, an assemblage of 8 grapes.

By: Joao Filipe Clemente

Joao Filipe Clemente — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:31:07 +0000

No doubt, a good Gewurtz will do the trick!

By: John Witherspoon

John Witherspoon — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:10:20 +0000

usually when I order pad Thai I get it with tofu since I am a vegetarian. My wine of choice lately has been a dry Rose and it works really well. Prior to this I used to order a nice riesling.

Good question – but now I am hungry for Thai at 9am.

By: winebot

winebot — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:00:13 +0000

theres a reason why sweet and spicy are trademarks of thai food (korean food too at that). with that being said, the gewurz kabinett is a great suggestion, the classic acoutrement to bold asian foods. however, im beginning to wonder how a nice scheurebe with a modicum of residual sugar would hold up to something like this.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:52:52 +0000

A quality Argentine Torrontes, esp one from the La Rioja region where the grape still shows plenty of natural acidity.

By: Julian

Julian — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 05:19:51 +0000

Hmm, the pungency of Thai food can be tricky to pair with wine. Having said that, I’ve had some luck with a couple of different approaches. I find the delicacy of the classic aromatic white matches (dry riesling or gewertz) can sometimes be overpowered by Thai flavours (as opposed to Cantonese, for example), and that the intensity of a Pad Thai often calls for something correspondingly generous on the wine front. A dry rose style works well, as does a fuller white that is high in acidity (Chablis-style Chardonnay, for example, or the aforementioned Vouvray). Perhaps surprisingly, I’ve had some luck pairing Thai food with fuller bodied reds on the spicy end of the flavour spectrum, such as cool climate Australian Shiraz.

I must say, though, I do find myself reaching for the lighter beer styles when I go Thai.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:47:46 +0000

Arj,

I like and agree wiht your approach.

By: Arj

Arj — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:31:01 +0000

A German Gewurtztraminer Kabinett(trokken if available). The key to matching a wine to this Asian dish is not to select complementary or contrasting fruit flavours, but to enhance the already complex flavour and aromatic combinations with the naturally high oily acidity and beautifully floral and perfumed nuances of nice ripe gew..The natural residual sugar in this style of wine should be able to shoulder a responsible amount of spice. ALT.: Alsatian Grand Cru Sylvaner