Historically, the peanut made friends easily with all cuisines. "Its easygoing nature shows up when paired with wines and spirits," says Lynne Char Bennett, San Francisco Chronicle expert on wine and columnist on tasting rooms and wine-and-food pairings.

"Straight roasted peanuts at the pre-meal stage immediately suggest a sherry," she says. The nice mouth feel provided by the fat, as well as their crunch, tell her that peanuts can stand up to an amontillado, the medium weight sherry. "Because sherry is fortified and has a higher alcohol content, it contains the fragrance that stands up to the toasty nuttiness of this food, especially after roasting," she says.

Beers deserve a mention. Bennett especially prefers the imported, German hefeweisen beers, with their scent of roasted hops and wheat, which echo the same notes in peanuts.

"Once the peanut stops playing solo and joins other ingredients in a recipe, you have to consider the flavors layered on top of nuts," says Bennet. For example, ask yourself if there is sugar in the dish, or if it is flavored with spices, including hot chilies. Some general considerations are:

Here are Lynne's notes on five peanut-flavored recipes and how to match each with a wine.

1. Smoky Peanut Mole with Roasted Pork Loin:

If the chilies don't bite too sharply, try to pair it with a low-tannin zinfandel. In general, you should choose a red varietal with smoky characteristics.

2. Llapingachos:

Think syrah and other earthy reds, such as a less complex cabernet sauvignon. Remember: save the complex wine for simple roast meats. In this dish, although the neutral potatoes and the dairy suggest a more complex wine, the sauce itself suggests restraint and simplicity.

3. Madras Hot and Spicy Tamarind Sauce with Peanuts:

This is a case study of highly spiced food with wine. As is often the case, you have to face up to the acid in the tamarind as well as the chilies in the sauce. The more complex, full-flavored and spicy recipes usually have the more limited carrying ability as far as wine goes. Select a simpler wine. Remember that alcohol and tannin fight spiciness. Try wines that have a bit of residual sugar, such as an off-dry riesling, off-dry gewürztraminer or pinot grigio. If the sauce supports say, grilled pork, you might attempt a lighter, jammy zinfandel.

4. Essence of Chicken in a Clay Funnel Steamer:

This should pair nicely with a less oak-intense chardonnay, such as an Australian example. The complexity and body in chardonnay with its buttery flavor and hints of fruity lemon stand up side-by-side with the essence of chicken. The complexity of the wine here can match the complexity of the soup.