Pair Wine with Rad Na

Thai cuisine balances five core flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy. Each dish is a composition of these elements—complex, layered, and alive. At Kamala Beach Estate, understanding this harmony is the key to intelligent wine pairing—not by tradition, but by taste structure.

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1. Sweet (Waan หวาน)
Sweetness often comes from palm sugar, coconut, or tropical fruits. It softens spice and acidity. Wines with a little natural sweetness—like rosé or Gewürztraminer—echo this softness without becoming heavy.

2. Sour (Priao เปรี้ยว)
Lime juice, tamarind, and vinegar add brightness to dishes like Som Tum or Tom Yum. These demand wines with crisp acidity such as Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling.

3. Salty (Kem เค็ม)
Saltiness from fish sauce, soy, and shrimp paste brings umami. Wines with structure—like a dry Chardonnay or a savory Grenache rosé—support and lift these deeper flavors.

4. Bitter (Kom ขม)
Bitterness from neem, Thai basil, or young green vegetables adds depth. Pair with wines that show herbal or earthy complexity—Pinot Noir or even a well-made orange wine.

5. Spicy (Phet เผ็ด)
Chili heat is a defining thrill of Thai cuisine. The best wine pairings are gentle in alcohol, low in tannin, and soothing: slightly off-dry Riesling, fresh Moscato, or sparkling wines work best.

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From Harmony to Pairing

Thai food doesn’t clash with wine—it challenges us to think differently. At the Wine Pairing Academy, we teach guests to pair wine by flavor logic, not by rules from another continent. Master these five tastes, and you’ll never look at a wine list the same way again.