The discipline of matching food & wine has yet to be devised although there are a number of classic combinations - Riesling with pork, Bordeaux with beef, Syrah with lamb, Chardonnay  with lobster, Sauvignon Blanc with oysters, etc. Going beyond these associations, a chef working with a sommelier can achieve meals with flavor, textures, and a sensation of taste in    wine so harmonious that the dining experience is deemed choreography.

Occasionally wines that are thought to be compatible with certain foods can throw a bizarre taste combination especially when the classic dishes are served with sauces scented with unusual fruits, herbs or spices. Here is an insight how the food-wine marriage can be achieved, especially when serving up eclectic, creative cuisine.

BASIC RULES
The first rule to remember is that the food of a region will have evolved together with the wine of a
region. If you're cooking traditional dishes that use garlic and olive oil, an Italian red or white wine will be an excellent match. For instance, risotto with fungi porcini will marry a Borolo or a Barbaresco. Go to France or Germany and you'll find choucroute and cassoulet excellent matches with Alsatian Riesling and Corbieres, respectively. Likewise, brockwurst, bratwurst,  and frankfurters will easily take to Muller-thurgaus while mackeral goes well with Spanish Sherry.

The second rule is that for other dishes that didn't evolve along side wines, experimentation   and creative boldness in matching can provide unexpected successes. Champagne and sushi   is one and Voignier and curry is another.

Keep in mind that the basic character of wine is dependent on the grape variety used to make it, therefore, each wine will have a fruit signature.

For red wines, Cabernet Sauvignons will exhibit blackcurrant characteristics while Syrahs will often be raspberry in aroma. Given that, foods that are sauced over with fruit coulis would take   to wines with strong fruit characteristics. Aged wines, however, would exhibit less fruit flavor and pronounced bottle bouquet flavors. They will complement strong flavored meats if the sauce is light. Similarly, sweet &  sour dishes or food basted with honey would call for matches with young Chardonnay (pineapple, lychee, peaches, butter, etc.) but if one has an aged Riesling,  the matches will be found in foods such as fried soft shell crab or steamed river fish.

Acid in wine makes wine taste "lively" because of the sharp sensation in the mouth. Acidic wines generally go well with creamy foods or those cooked in butter because the sharpness of  the acid will "cut" the richness of the cream. A sweet wine would usually accompany sweet dishes but if the food is very sweet, the sweet wine can be overcome and will appeal limpid. As such, it is very difficult to match chocolate with a Sauterne yet the very same wine complements a sweet apple tart which has some acidity in it.

ASIAN FOOD
Savory Asian dishes will marry well with sweet wines but pairing wine with Asian food is not always an easy task and since so much has been written about this subject we will be brief on what we feel are the main points. Since Thai food is served with many courses it is not easy to select one wine ...if you were to pick a wine for each dish served, you would have to order a half-dozen different wines, one for the deep-fried dishes, one for the sweet and sour, one for the bland, one for the spicy, etc. Also, the table is usually a montage of aromas and tastes, making it practically impossible to select just one wine. You may elect to choose beer, soda or water if your meal is a traditional Thai affair with numerous contrasting dishes served simultaneously.

With all this having been said, we'll still attempt to match some wines with Thai food. You probably will find that your taste buds agree with most people but not everybody will agree on a 
choice of wine as everybody may not like spinach, and if they don't,  why should they prefer similar wine?

The theory of selecting wines for Thai food is the same as any other cuisine. When starting your meal off with a spicy dish, such as yam, try a wine that has a spicy and floral flavored grape. When selecting such dishes look for an acidic and fruity white wine to accompany your meal and after selecting different wines you will find a match that you enjoy. As for myself, I find a Boujalais or young fruity red wine goes well with papaya salad. If you are enjoying a sweet and mildly spicy curry dish, you may elect to try a lightly sweet Riesling. When grilling fish on the barbecue don't forget to have a bottle of your favorite white wine on hand. No matter which wine you select, if you are comfortable with the match - then enjoy.

Cabernets seem to be the most favored wine in Thailand and we can speculate why this is but I believe it is the black fruit such as blackberries, currants, cassis, plums and black cherries that are favorite aromas and flavors. Tobacco, leather, vanilla, spice, toasty oak and hints of mint are also often present.

Grilling, braising and roasting are cooking techniques that lend themselves to Cabernets. Lamb, beef, pork, game and game birds match well with these Cabernets.