Tips To Pair Red Wine With

Tandoori Chicken

Quick Summary

Pairing red wine with tandoori chicken can be surprisingly easy once you know what to look for. From light, fruity mixes to bolder, spiced varieties, the right glass of red will balance the smokiness of the tandoori chicken and bring out hidden flavours. Want to know which wines work best and why some reds shine with this classic dish? Keep reading to discover.

Deep Dive

Tandoori chicken, with its smoky and spicy flavours, pairs well with red wines that complement its intensity. The red wine can either cut through its rich marinade or bring out the best of its wholesome flavours, depending on what type you pick.. Opting for wines with moderate tannins and balanced acidity ensures they enhance rather than overpower the dish. This guide highlights red wines that align with tandoori chicken's profile, and covers the range, from affordable ones that you can find at your local liquor store to rare and refined varieties available at speciality wine stores.

Understanding Red Wine

Red wine is crafted from dark-colored grape varieties through a fermentation process that includes the skins. This imparts the signature red colour, tannins, and robust flavours to the wine. Its history traces back to ancient civilisations, with evidence of winemaking found in Georgia around 6000 BCE. In fact, the oldest known winery found in Armenia is from around 4100 BCE. A glass of red wine (in limited amounts) is even said to be good for heart health, given its components like antioxidants, including resveratrol. 

As for its flavour, red wine can range from fruity notes from red berries like strawberry, raspberry, and cherry, plus dark fruits like blackberry, blueberry, and plum, to more complex flavours such as smoke, chocolate, oak, spices, and even earthy undertones like mushroom and wet leaves. Popular red wine varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Syrah or Shiraz.

Choose Light To Medium-Bodied Reds

Tandoori chicken's smoky and spicy profile pairs best with red wines that have moderate tannin levels and a lighter body. Internationally sourced wines like Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, and Zinfandel complement the dish without overpowering it. For the Indian fare, try Shiraz from Sula Vineyards and York Arros. These wines are softer with fruity flavours and a subtle acidity, which is excellent with the smokiness of the tandoori chicken. 

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir ranges from light to medium body in a sea of red wines, with earthy, fruity, and acidic quality that goes well with the smoky flavours of the chicken. Picks from cooler climates like Oregon or Burgundy are excellent, but expensive choices. You also get cheaper alternatives, but the taste will be compromised, and you will get single varieties instead of a mixed blend from classier fares. 

Beaujolais (Gamay)

Beaujolais, particularly from the Cru villages like Morgon or Fleurie in France, offers a light and fruity profile that pairs well with tandoori chicken. Made from the special Gamay grape, unique to these regions, these wines are known for their vibrant red fruit flavours and high acidity, which can cut through the richness of the tandoori chicken. The low tannin content ensures that the wine doesn't clash with the spices, and if served chilled, the wine will enhance the overall dining experience.

Zinfandel

Zinfandel is known to be a full-bodied red wine rich in its fruit flavours – cherry, blackberry, and raspberry, along with smoky undercurrents of cinnamon. It leans towards the higher end when it comes to alcohol concentration. Pick a medium-bodied Zinfandel with moderate tannin level, for the high alcohol content can quite literally make the chicken taste hotter. Wines, particularly from California's Lodi or Paso Robles regions, are known for their jammy fruity flavours and are perfect with tandoori chicken.

Syrah Or Shiraz

Syrah from cooler regions like the Northern Rhône or Shiraz from Australia's Barossa Valley can be a good match for tandoori chicken. These wines offer bold flavours with notes of black pepper, plum, and sometimes smoky undertones and moderate tannins and acidity, which helps cleanse the palate between bites.

If you want a local bottle, try Sula’s Shiraz from Nashik, which offers dark cherry, pepper, and mocha and has a silky smooth and earthy flavour profile. It's quite a popular choice to pair with food, and its fruity-meets-peppery undertones will complement the smoky, spicy notes of tandoori chicken perfectly.

Grover Zampa La Réserve (Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend)

This blend offers balanced acidity, soft tannins, and a powerful, fruity, and subtle spicy profile with French oak hints. This was the first reserve wine launched in India in 1998. It’s smooth on the palate, a hallmark of the finesse of a French winemaker, Michel Rolland. The hint of spices in the wine complements the spiced marinade of the chicken, while the subtle notes of vanilla and chocolate enhance the tanginess of the lemon-flavoured yoghurt marination. 

York Arros (Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend)

York’s Arros is another great Indian red blend, from York wineries, with a robust flavour of red berries, vanilla and spices, moderate tannins, and a touch of coffee and blackcurrant, aged in French oak. It pairs nicely with grilled and spiced meats like tandoori chicken by matching the smoky and spicy flavours.

Fruity Red Wine Meets Smoke

Finding the right red wine to pair with tandoori chicken is all about striking a balance. Wines with moderate tannins, good acidity, and a medium body enhance the smoky, spicy flavours without overpowering them. Whether you choose a light Pinot Noir or a bold Shiraz blend, the right wine will lift your meal to the next level.