1. Dopff Au Moulin Gewurztraminer Reserve 2015

Best with: Mala hotpot, Sichuan dishes and aromatic spice

If there is one grape that deserves a place at a spicy dinner, it is Gewürztraminer. Originally at home in Alsace, Gewürztraminer is intensely aromatic, often showing notes of lychee, flowers and exotic fruit. That expressive character allows it to stand up to ingredients such as Sichuan peppercorn, chilli, garlic and ginger rather than disappearing behind them. It also has a broader, softer texture than many crisp white wines, which makes it particularly comfortable alongside the rich chilli oil of mala hotpot. Serve it well chilled and let the food get as aromatic as it wants.

Try it with: mala beef, spicy pork belly, mapo tofu, Sichuan boiled fish or dry pot.

2. Dopff Au Moulin Pinot Gris 2018

Best with: Laksa, creamy spicy broths and sesame hotpot

Pinot Gris is another Alsace variety that deserves more attention at the Asian table. Compared with a very lean white wine, Pinot Gris generally has more weight and texture. That becomes useful when the spice comes together with richness — think coconut milk, sesame, fatty pork or a concentrated hotpot broth. It is therefore the bottle we would reach for when dinner moves beyond pure chilli heat.

And because we are in Singapore, there is another obvious experiment: laksa. The combination of spice, coconut, seafood and aromatic herbs calls for something with enough body to stay present, while still being served cold enough to refresh the palate between mouthfuls.

Try it with: laksa, sesame hotpot, spicy seafood, curry dishes or pork belly.

3. Cattier Brut Quartz

Best with: Hotpot, fried food and anything covered in chilli oil

Sometimes the answer is simply Champagne. Bubbles are particularly useful with spicy food because they refresh the palate between bites, while the acidity helps cut through oil, fat and rich sauces.

That makes Cattier Brut Quartz a natural choice for hotpot, where the meal constantly shifts between broth, meat, vegetables, tofu, fried sides and dipping sauces. It also brings a little more occasion to what is otherwise one of Singapore’s most casual and social meals. Hotpot with Champagne may sound indulgent, but from a pairing point of view, it makes a lot of sense.

Try it with: mala hotpot, fried chicken, crispy tofu, dumplings, seafood and tempura.

4. Domaine de Poulvarel Costières de Nîmes Rosé 2022

Best with: Tomato hotpot, grilled skewers and medium spice

Rosé is possibly the most underrated hotpot wine. It combines much of the freshness we want from a white wine with enough fruit and structure to handle meat, mushrooms and grilled flavours. That makes it especially versatile at a table where everyone is ordering something different. For tomato-based hotpot in particular, rosé makes a lot of sense. Its fruit character works naturally with the sweeter acidity of tomato while the wine remains fresh enough for seafood, vegetables and sliced meat. And when the hotpot is followed by a plate of grilled skewers, you do not need to change bottles.

Try it with: tomato hotpot, grilled prawns, chicken skewers, pork, mushrooms and moderately spicy dishes.

5. François Labet Pinot Noir Corse 2022

Best with: Mushroom hotpot, cumin lamb and lighter Sichuan dishes

“But I want red wine.” Fair enough. The solution is not necessarily to abandon red wine, but to choose a lighter one. François Labet’s Corsican Pinot Noir is bright, fresh and relatively supple, making it far easier at the hotpot table than a dense, heavily tannic red. Serve it slightly cool rather than warm and pair it with dishes where the spice is aromatic rather than overwhelmingly hot. This is particularly good territory for mushrooms, lamb, grilled meats and cumin.

Try it with: mushroom hotpot, cumin lamb, grilled pork, roast duck or mildly spicy Sichuan dishes.

6. Famille Coulon Le Petit Renard Rouge 2021

Best with: Mala xiang guo, grilled meat and the red-wine drinker at the table

Another red, but deliberately chosen for freshness. Le Petit Renard comes from the Coulon family of Domaine de Beaurenard in the Southern Rhône and blends Grenache, Syrah and a small amount of Viognier. More importantly for our purposes, it is built around bright fruit and drinkability rather than weight. That is exactly what we want from a red wine when chilli enters the picture.

Grenache brings generous fruit, while the fresher style helps avoid the heavy tannic sensation that can make spicy food feel even hotter. Would we pair it with the most ferocious level-five mala imaginable? Probably not. But with dry pot, grilled meat, cumin and medium levels of spice, absolutely.

Try it with: mala xiang guo, cumin lamb, grilled beef skewers, roast meats and charred vegetables.

The wildcard: Sauternes with mala?

 

Surprisingly, yes. Sweetness is one of wine’s best weapons against chilli heat. A chilled Sauternes can soften the burn of Sichuan pepper and chilli, while the spice itself can make the wine feel less sweet on the palate. The combination works particularly well with dishes that bring together heat, sweetness, richness and umami. Think caramelised pork, spicy duck, rich Sichuan sauces or even a more intense mala broth. It is not the first bottle most people would think of opening with hotpot, which is precisely why it can be such a fun pairing.

For something more adventurous, try a bottle such as Château Coutet 2014 from Barsac.

Consider it the bottle for the person at the table who wants to experiment.

So, what is the best wine for mala?

If the table is seriously spicy, start with Gewürztraminer. For richer broths, curry or laksa, try Pinot Gris. For a table full of fried food and hotpot ingredients, put a cold bottle of Champagne in the middle.

Rosé is the versatile option, especially with tomato broth and grilled food. And if red wine is non-negotiable, keep it fresh, fruity and relatively light — Pinot Noir or a Grenache-led Rhône red will usually behave much better than a powerful, tannic bottle. And for something unexpected?

Try Sauternes. There is really only one rule worth remembering:

The hotter the food, the less you want your wine fighting back.

Wine belongs at the hotpot table

Wine pairing does not need to mean finding the textbook bottle for a textbook French dish.

Singapore’s dining table looks very different. Mala, hotpot, laksa, curry, chilli crab, grilled skewers and Sichuan food are part of how we actually eat — and they deserve bottles chosen with them in mind.

So next time the hotpot comes out, leave the beer in the fridge for a moment.

Bring a bottle of Gewürztraminer, Champagne, rosé — or even Sauternes. You might be surprised.

Explore French wines for your next spicy dinner at Aether Wines.