Conversely, wines that are high in alcohol or tannins, or which are discernibly oaky, are often bad. This is why many California cabernet sauvignons and zinfandels, Bordeaux and Barolo are difficult to pair with Indian foods.

Rajat Parr, the former wine director for the Michael Mina restaurant group, who grew up in Calcutta and is a partner in Sandhi and Domaine de la Côte, two Santa Barbara wine producers, has informally advised Pondicheri on its list. He says the number of wines that go well with Indian foods is small.

Among reds, he looks to earthier, spicier wines, like syrah and cabernet franc, especially those that are not generously fruity or oaky. Unexpectedly, he suggests that red Burgundies and other wines made with pinot noir, often cited as among the most versatile of wines, do not work that well.

“They’re too subtle, with too much fruit,” he said.

When Daniel Beedle, the beverage director at Indian Accent, took the job, he had eaten a lot of Indian food but had little experience in pairing wines with the dishes. He examined the many spices used in Indian preparations and realized they can often be surprisingly tannic. As others concluded, the best wines were often moderately sweet whites high in acid and fresher, savory reds with few tannins, although he tolerates more fruit in the reds than Mr. Parr does.

Reds from Languedoc-Roussillon, particularly those with grenache and carignan, can be very successful, he said, as can Rioja gran reservas with enough age to have mellowed the tannins. His list is well-stocked with aromatic whites, syrahs from the northern Rhône, cabernet francs from the Loire and Beaujolais.

Even so, he also offers a significant selection of red Burgundies and some top Bordeaux and California cabernets, with an understanding that wine selections can be emotional rather than rational reflections on what pairs best.