Thai Green Curry Meets Its Match in Riesling Kabinett

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Thai green curry is one of the hardest dishes on earth to pair with wine. Green chilli brings heat; coconut milk brings richness; fish sauce, lime leaf, Thai basil and galangal bring salt and perfume. Alcohol amplifies chilli, tannin turns bitter against it, and oak flattens the aromatics. Most bottles fail before the second spoonful.

Why Kabinett

Kabinett is the lightest category of Germany’s Prädikat system, and on the Mosel many examples keep a little natural sweetness balanced by searing acidity. Low alcohol means the wine does not fan the heat. The touch of sweetness soothes the chilli. The acidity cuts through the coconut milk, and the wine’s lime and stone-fruit aromas sit naturally beside lemongrass and lime leaf.

A dry Riesling can work with a mild curry. Once the heat rises, the extra sweetness of a Kabinett is not a compromise. It is the reason the pairing works.

At the Table

Serve the Riesling cold, at 8°C (46°F), and keep the bottle on ice. Jasmine rice, a cucumber salad and plenty of lime are enough.

The Bottles

Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett 2025

A bright, juicy introduction to Mosel Kabinett from one of the region’s most prominent estates. Ideal for a hot, everyday curry. Shop it at Wine.com.

Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2024

From the Mosel’s most revered Kabinett producer, a wine of extraordinary delicacy for a gentler, more aromatic curry. Young Prüm can show a sulphur note on opening; give it time in the glass. Shop it at Wine.com.

One Rule

The hotter the curry, the lower the alcohol should be.

The Pairing is Santé’s daily column on one dish and the wine that makes it better. A new pairing every evening.