Though it’s an indispensable spice in many African, Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisines, turmeric is underappreciated in the U.S., where it was once known mostly as what makes French’s mustard and curry powder yellow. That’s rapidly changing, as its nutritional properties have made it a popular dietary supplement. The medical community may be divided on its medicinal efficacy, but no one can argue that it’s not a delicious addition to any meal. Even better, there’s a wide variety of apt pairing wines when you encounter a turmeric-based dish.
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Earth
“Earthy” can be an overused term, ascribed to greens, grains, nuts, herbs, mushrooms, root veggies, wine and much more. Yet few foods so blatantly smell of dirt and fallen trees as turmeric. Pairing it with Pinot Noir from Burgundy pits earth against earth for a curious play on how each expresses it in different ways.
Ginger
Turmeric is in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, and has much in common with it—especially when fresh—though is a bit less citrusy and more peppery and woody. Verdelho is one of the major grapes used for Madeira, but it’s also made as a crisp dry wine in Portugal, Australia and elsewhere, where it shows tropical and floral notes alongside warm gingery spice.
Curry
As the primary ingredient in most spice blends labeled in the U.S. as “curry powder,” turmeric is
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
