A Viognier-dominated Languedoc white and a Chinese/Thai takeaway

The first thing we do when we get back from France is to eat some kind of spicy food. It’s not impossible to eat ethnic down in the Languedoc (there are a couple of Vietnamese restaurants locally) but it’s not good.

This time we were staying overnight with friends who also have a house down there so they ordered in a takeway and put a full-bodied Languedoc white on the table - no 7 from Domaine la Croix Belle - the ‘7’ representing the seven grapes in the blend - Viognier, Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon, Carignan Blanc, Muscat à petit grains and Chasan.

It’s one of my favourite local Languedoc whites but I wouldn’t have thought that spicy food was its natural register. But it was surprisingly good, especially with a Thai red curry and a spicy dish of noodles. The aromatic character of the wine isn’t immediately obvious when you taste it on its own but really came to the fore in the pairing.

It would be worth trying similar Languedoc whites that include Viognier with this style of food, provided it’s not too searingly hot.

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