Which Wine to Pair With Pad Thai?

SEMI-DRY WHITE WINE FOR A SPICY PAD THAI

Whether you discovered it in Thailand, on the streets of New York or in a food truck in UK, Pad Thai, which has become a classic worldwide, is best enjoyed with wine, preferably a semi-dry white wine. This Southeast Asian dish is rich in aromas and flavours. It is made of fried rice noodles, vegetables, pork, beef, chicken, shrimp or tofu, and is served with a sweet lime sauce, then flavoured with fresh coriander. If you like it spicy, it can be perfectly enhanced with a touch of chilli for a real explosion of flavours and sensations!

Accompanying your Pad Thai with a glass of sweet white wine creates a balance between salty, sweet and spicy. This dish literally explodes with flavours and textures. Dare to taste a wine whose sugar will balance the sensation of heat and burn that the chilli can provide, while accompanying the acidic and exotic fruit aromas that are sometimes present, such as the scents of pineapple, mango and lime. Between the crunch of peanuts, the tenderness of perfectly marinated pieces of meat and the freshness of coriander or even mint, encourage this mixture of textures by opting for a sweet wine!

In Alsace, go for a semi-dry wine made from Gewürztraminer. This grape variety is extremely aromatic, powerful and spicy, expressing, among other things, notes of ginger and lychee. Gewürz means 'spice' in German, which is a perfect description of this very expressive grape variety, which will go well with sweet and savoury Asian dishes. Don't be afraid of curry, chilli, or any strongly flavoured dish with sweet wines from this grape variety: pleasure guaranteed! Vinatis suggests a 100% Gewürztraminer from the Schlumberger estate:

Our suggestion:

GEWÜRZTRAMINER - LES PRINCES ABBES - DOMAINE SCHLUMBERGER

To stay in Alsace, the Pinot Gris grape variety is equally suited to Pad Thai when vinified as a demi-sec. You'll love the fine tangerine and smoky notes of this Henri Ehrhart cuvée:

Our suggestion:

PINOT GRIS - HENRI EHRHART

German Rieslings are excellent companions to Pad Thai and all your favourite sweet and sour dishes. Thanks to their lemongrass and ginger aromas, as well as their freshness brought by a perfectly controlled minerality, do not hesitate to try a late harvest Riesling. Vinatis recommends a wine from the Mosel region:

Our suggestion:

BERNKASTELER GRABEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE - DR. THANISCH

Head to the Loire Valley and discover the wonderful sweet wines made from Chenin, the region's emblematic grape variety. The AOC Vouvray produces both dry and semi-dry wines. In the range of sweet wines, the Vouvray wines express themselves on aromas of ripe and exotic fruits such as mango, pineapple and papaya. The nuances are rich and subtle, oscillating between notes of honey and nuts, absolutely perfect for accompanying a Pad Thai!

As Vouvray demi-sec, Vinatis suggests a 100% Chenin cuvée from the Domaine Huet.

Our suggestion:

LE HAUT LIEU DEMI-SEC - DOMAINE HUET

And why not try an oxidative wine?

Think outside the box and discover the aromatic richness of oxidative style wines. Voluntarily in contact with the air, these wines reveal aromas of vanilla, nuts, orange zest and herbs such as fennel. These wines offer remarkable complexity and structure, so they will not fade away with Pad Thai!

Discover the oxidative wine and Pad Thai pairing with this Spanish wine:

BANDOL ROSÉ WITH PAD THAI

For those who are looking for a more refreshing wine, a gastronomic rosé is the perfect accompaniment to Pad Thai. The Bandol appellation in Provence offers rosé wines with body, character and substance, which can accompany and reveal the aromatic richness of Pad Thai. The blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (GSM) grapes and sometimes Cinsault give powerful, complex and elegant wines with a superb length in the mouth. These rosés are delicious, revealing aromas of red fruits, citrus and spices.

Vinatis recommandens with your Pad Thai an organic rosé from the Domaine Moulin de la Roque:

Our suggestion:

LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON FOR THE RED WINE LOVERS

For red wine lovers, it is possible to pair red wine with Pad Thai! In order to accompany and reveal the varied aromas of this Asian dish, a fruity wine with sufficient body is required. However, the wine should not be too acidic or too tannic. A strong tannic structure could unbalance the pairing by masking certain aromas and unpleasantly accentuating the spicy taste brought on by the presence of chilli, for example.

The appellations Pic-Saint-Loup and Terrasses du Larzac meet these criteria. Their rich bouquet and remarkable aromatic intensity combined with a fresh palate marked by nuances of liquorice, thyme or mint, make these AOCs excellent companions to Pad Thai.

Our suggestion for Pic-Saint-Loup: