Smoking Goat ‘fish sauce wings’ and Peter Lauer 'Fass 16' Saar riesling

It’s well established that riesling is a good match for spicy food but you don’t often get as good a pairing as the new Soho bar Smoking Goat’s already fabled ‘fish sauce wings’ and Peter Lauer’s 2013 ‘Fass 16’ Saar riesling..

If it’s not on your radar, Smoking Goat is one of London’s hottest restaurants right now serving ‘Thai barbecue’, cocktails and some surprisingly good wines thanks to the restaurant’s wine consultant (and occasional contributor to matchingfoodandwine.com), Zeren Wilson (aka @bittenwritten).

Although the riesling was light (only 11.5%) and comparatively (for German wine) dry it took the sticky, chilli-spiked wings totally in its stride, providing the perfect refreshing contrast to the crunchy, sticky meat.

We’d managed to polish it off by the time we got to the equally fêted duck legs which were slow-roasted, confit-style with galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime and went surprisingly well with a 2012 Cote de Puy Morgon from Jean Foillard. (You’d expect duck to work but not duck that spicy). And with an elegant Vespaiolo (yes, it was *quite* a boozy evening.)

It underlines how one shouldn’t be too timid about hot food or feel it’s only suitable for cheap wines. A well-chosen wine can take it to another level.

Picture courtesy and copyright of the lovely Paul Winch-Furness who was in the bar when we arrived and still partying when we left ;-)

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