The shores of India can be god's gift to match classic wine varietals to spicy food. And the seaside resort of Goa in south-west India provides the ideal backdrop for that.

Just like Chinese food outlets, "curry" houses too can be found in almost every city, from Liverpool to Lima and Tokyo to Timbuktu. Where would the young, single suits-in-training of Hong Kong be without a mid-week curry take-away or a visit to India Today on Elgin Street in SoHo. Tel: 2801-5959.

How do you choose a wine to match? First things first! It's a classic mistake to think all regions of a large country, such as India, have the same type of cooking. A lot depends on the climate and what grows best locally.

Then there's the added interest in wines slowly spreading in big cities and resorts, - especially in up-market establishments. For now, let's match Indian regional cuisines to the wines you already know, and leave the Indian wines until next week when I'll tell you how they taste.

Matching food and wine is quite simple. Get the basic facts right and the results can be gastronomically far more satisfying than with other beverages.

Temperature is all important: white wines at 5-8 degrees Celsius and reds at approximately 15 degrees Celsius. Spicy foods taste great with a cooled wine as long as you steer clear of those with high alcoholic contents. Choose a maximum of 12 per cent alcohol with an Indian meal.

Northern India has a temperate climate, growing a variety of nuts and fruits. It's the home of the tandoor, the clay oven. Pieces of mutton or chicken are marinated in herbs and spices and then cooked in the tandoor. Match a Chikken Tikka Masala or Tandoori Prawns with a semillon or a sauvignon blanc for best results. The tart citrus/gooseberry characters of these wines will cool the mouth and lift the spicy flavours to ambrosial heights.

In the tropical south, rice and chillies grow in abundance and food flavours can be spicy enough to lift the roof off your mouth. With a fiery hot Vindaloo or a spice-driven Madras (now Chennai) dish, opt for a light Pinot Noir or very lightly oaked Pinotage, chilled down to 14-15 degrees Celsius.

Like Macanese cuisine, cooking in Goa was influenced by the Portuguese. Yet Goa is unique in that it still bears the unmistakable stamp of Portuguese food preferences: fish, seafood, fresh vegetables, chourico and saffron. All dishes that lend themselves to a variety of wines from across the world, from crisp whites with spicy sausage, and rich vegetarian or meaty stews with gutsy Shiraz and silky Merlot.

The art of enjoying Indian food remains in eating the right mix. Traditionally, rice and bread are not served together, and neither is Mutton Biryani eaten with lentils. Flavours emerge to the full when eaten with plain, boiled rice, or with naan or roti. It's a question of balance. For the same reason, food from north India should not share its sauces with delicacies from the south.

There are dry styles of cooking, and there are the rich, velvety, cream-based sauces using milk or coconut milk. The use of spices is common throughout the country and many dishes are cooked slowly, to develop the flavours and meld the spices.

Spiciness is generally not produced by a single ingredient but is the outcome of many flavours combined together. Chilli, for example, is not used alone. It's meant to bring out other flavours like those of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and clove, too. The variations are infinite. What you need are wines that harmonize with and complement the flavours - rather than fighting them by looking to the sauce.

Crisp wines high in acidity, Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, Semillon, Chenin Blanc and blends with distinct fruit-forward flavours, lift the tastes of hot dishes chilli heat tends to mask the palate otherwise. The more creamy rose wines from southern France, Bandol and Aix-en-Provence, show the full flavours of an almondy Biriyani to perfection. But cancel any thoughts of pairing big tannin-rich wines with curry it's a very bad idea! Don't believe me? Just try a big Aussie Shiraz with a Lamb Vindaloo or Mutton Madras and don't say I didn't warn you!

Another no-no is sweet wine and spicy food just forget it, it just doesn't work. The sweetness cancels out the flavours of the spices.

Zesty wines work well with tomato-based dishes, think Italian and Barolo. Steer clear of reds with heavy tannins and spicy food, it can be disastrous.