Henny Zinzuwadia from Pahli Hill & Bandra Bai is an expert in matching wine with Indian flavours. She gives us her top tips to make wine with spice taste really nice.

Pahli Hill & Bandra Bhai, located in the heart of Fitzrovia, London, is modelled on the cultural melting pot of regional cuisines of India. A celebration of diversity and indigenous recipes, techniques and produce. Henny Zinzuwadia, head sommelier and Top 100 Sommeliers 2024 Top 5 Young Sommelier, knows her stuff when it comes to matching great wine with spicy food. Her way of introducing great wines onto the list in an Indian restraurant will make you want to get there as soon as you can and sample their delicious tasting menu.

Often people are wide-eyed when wine 2 out of 8 into the pairing menu and I pour a big red. With this cuisine especially, you have the flexibility of not needing to go whites first then reds. The flavours and aromatics of the dishes are so deep, so it really adds warmth and body which break down that astringency/dry feeling you get from the tannins.

SE: What are consumer perceptions about wines lists and food and wine matching when selecting wines in your restaurant?

HZ: Consumers always come in with a sense of curiosity when they see that the restaurant has a considered wine list that is specifically put together to compliment Indian flavours and spices. Quite naturally, people will just lean towards a beer or a off dry Riesling – don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to popping open a Spatlese with the meal but one of my favourite ways of sharing more behind the wine match is via our Tasting Menu where each course has a highlight on a specific flavour profile.

Whether it be a spicy blend of bird’s eye chilli, pepper, clove, coriander seeds, curry leaves from Coorg in the Southern part of India, a refreshing and tangy raw green mango, mint, and coriander combo from the Parsi community,  or an aromatic blend of rose petals, mint and stone flower from Lucknow in the North. The aim is to dig deeper than just what pairs with ’spicy’ food… every native ingredient is considered and paired accordingly, and those who embark on the wine pairing journey are rewarded with a multitude of wines that are stylistically different to each other which people may not usually consider to drink.

The aim is to dig deeper than just what pairs with ’spicy’ food… every native ingredient is considered and paired accordingly, and those who embark on the wine pairing journey are rewarded with a multitude of wines that are stylistically different to each

SE: How can you change perception and wines choice?

HZ: You can’t! People will drink what they want to drink!  Considered and culturally authentic Indian cuisine can be a new experience for guests, so the sense of comfort comes from picking a bottle they are familiar with instead of something new. The most I can do is share some tasters of what I would drink with the dishes they ordered, which often the guest are very grateful for, and leave knowing they can come back and trust being in the Somm’s hands the next time.

SE: Do the restaurant owners in the sector balk at the idea of having a comprehensive list given the traditional beverages sold with this type of cuisine in the UK?

HZ: Not at all! We aren’t taking anything away – people can still have the ‘traditional’ beverages here if they want to. The idea is to open the cuisine to those who look for considered wine lists when deciding on a restaurant, those who want authentic Indian food and to find good wine at the same time, and those who dare to indulge into brand new experiences if they are new to both the cuisine and wine. The support from the owners is phenomenal – they really give me the creative freedom with the list and come with a ‘we can make it happen’ approach to my ideas, and i’m super grateful for it!

SE: What are people’s reactions to you Tasting Menu with wine parirings?

HZ:  Often people are wide-eyed when wine 2 out of 8 into the pairing menu and I pour a big red. With this cuisine especially, you have the flexibility of not needing to go whites first then reds. The flavours and aromatics of the dishes are so deep, so it really adds warmth and body which break down that astringency/dry feeling you get from the tannins. The tannins and high alcohol are what usually prevent you from going to a lighter wine as it can be really overpowering, so i often opt for serving the red wine slightly more chilled than room temp to offset the alcohol, or using a wine that has some extended oak aging/older vintages. People might gawk at the idea of pairing a Cab Sauv/Syrah with spicy food, but when you do it right, you can enhance some of the herbaceous qualities in the dish instead of trying to hide them with fruit!