Pairing Wine with Mexican Food

May 02

Cinco de Mayo is upon us and many question wine pairings with Mexican dishes. Dr. Vino posted this same conundrum on his blog, approriately titled, "Burritos - impossible food-wine pairing!?", for which he asks his readers to recommend what they would pair with a burrito. It’s interesting to see posters recommend everything from sparkling wine to Zinfandel. One poster went as far as to say everyone was wrong with their suggestions, since "Mexican food + mexican wine = the only match".

When it comes to Mexican food, there really isn’t much difference between burritos and grilling up some meat and accompanying it with some vegetables, herbs and a starch. So why do we have such a hard time selecting a wine that compliments Mexican dishes? Some may think it’s an impossible task, but to be quite honest, it’s not as difficult as you might think.

So what’s the secret? It’s all about the chiles, the herbs and the sauce; pair your wine with the aforementioned and you can’t go wrong; it’s as simple as that! It’s a little trick I picked up while working with Rick Bayless at Frontera Grill & Topolobampo in Chicago.

Rick is a person I dearly admire and have the utmost respect for, not to mention he is at the forefront in Mexican cuisine. He is a James Beard award winner and has his own T.V. show, Mexico – One Plate at a Time and has published a number of cookbooks for which he has co-authored with his wife, Deann Groen Bayless. I highly recommend reading every one of them.

Mexico Chiles
Photo credit: Mexico Connect

So the next time you whip up a Mexican dish, think about your ingredients and pair it up with a wine that compliments the dish. A burrito smothered in red sauce (tomato-based) would pair nicely with a Sangiovese or Barbera, and a burrito smothered with green sauce (tomatillo-based) would pair nicely with a Côtes du Rhône, a lighter styled California Syrah, or an Alsatian Riesling. No sauce? Select a wine based on other ingredients like meat and herbs.

Here are a few additional suggested pairings, for which I have personally tried. The gamut of offerings is sure to please any enophile. My compliments to Rick Bayless and Jill Gubesch, Sommelier, Frontera Grill & Topolobampo:

Ingredient	Wine Pairing
Achiote: A uniquely aromatic, earthy, orange-red spice that defines Yucatecan specialites.	Explore Chianti Classico to match achiote’s earthiness.
Ancho Chile: A ruby-red heart-shape dried chile, medium to mild, with dried fruit/dried tomato flavors.	Very wine-friendly: Tempranillo, Northern Rhone Syrah (smokey, earthy) or Australian Shiraz (jammy).
Cascabel Chile: A smallish round brick-red dried chile, medium to spicy (back-palate heat), with earthy nuttiness.	Explore California Pinot Noir for its soothing, lingering fruit.
Chipotle Chile: A smoke-dried jalapeño, quite spicy, backed up with welcome sweetness.	Explore Argentine Malbec (rich, forward fruit with smoky, earthy finish), Tempranillo from Spain’s Ribera del Duero (fuller than Rioja).
Epazote: A pungent herb with piney aroma used extensively in Central, Southern and Eastern Mexico.	Explore Argentine Torrontes (floral notes) or New Zealand Pinot Noir (bright, lively fruit).
Escabeche: A tangy, aromatic blend of vinegar, olive oil, rich broth, herbs and sweet spices.	Explore New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for its ripe fruit and crisp, clean finish.
Guajillo Chile: A light cranberry-red, long, smooth-skin dried chile, medium to spicy, with a bright liveliness (some say it’s “aggressive”)	Explore California or Languedoc Syrah (supple, forward fruit to balance heat).
Habanero Chile: A lantern-shape fresh chile, amazingly spicy, with thrilling tropical flavors.	Explore New World Chardonnay or Viognier (both typically tropical, fruity).
Hoja Santa: A bold herb with alluring sarsaparilla and anise flavors integral to Southern and Gulf Coastal food.	Explore Riesling or Vouvray (Chenin Blanc) to match the sweet anise.
Huitlacoche: An inky-colored, earthy-sweet corn mushroom that is a delicacy in Central Mexico.	Explore Tempranillo or full-bodied Pinot Noir (French or California) for their earthy fruitiness
Lime: As essential as salt in Mexican cooking; featured grandly in the lime-marinated fish called seviche.	Explore Oregon Pinot Gris or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for a crisp, fruity balance.
Pasilla Chile: A very dark, long dried chile, medium spicy, with deep flavors that hint at (yes!) bitter chocolate and coffee.	Explore Zinfandel (rich spicy-fruit), Chilean Cabernet blends (dark fruit, soft tannins).
Poblano Chile: A large, dark-green chile, medium spicy, with rich, complex earthy flavors.	Explore Austrian Grüner Veltliner, Moscatel or dry Riesling (all have welcome citrus flavors).
Serrano or Jalapeño Chile: Fresh green chiles, medium to spicy, with fresh bright-green punch.	Explore Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc (grassy freshness) or Oregon Pinot Gris (more fruit, but great acidity).
Tomatillos: Green husk “tomatoes,” usually roasted to add sweet richness to their citrus tartness.	Explore Côtes du Rhône, lighter California Syrah, (soft, youthful fruit) or Alsatian Riesling (fruity with good minerality).
Tomatoes: Sweet/tart red icons, usually roasted to add unexpected depth and sweet complexity.	Explore Sangiovese or Barbera (their brightness matches the tomato flavors).

…and one last word – there are no hard rules when it comes to pairing food with wine so drink what you like and don’t let anyone tell you differently!

~ Pamela Heiligenthal

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