wine and mexican food

[mrdutton]

Because of all of this discussion I've done a little bit of research. I've no real personal experience in this area, but I sure am learning a few things.

Authentic Mexican food can be very complex. The flavor and nuances of many of the dishes depend on more than just chilies.

I get the distinct impression that chilies are used for their flavor more so than for their heat. A lot of the recipies I've looked at call for removing the seeds and the ribs from the chilies before using them in the recipes. Since most of the heat in a chili is in the rib and the seeds, this suggests that authentic Mexican food uses the chilies not for heat but for the flavor of the "meat" of the chili.

Beer and tequila seem to be the predominate beverages of choice when it comes to eating Mexican food. 'Bon Appetite' recommends Negra Modelo or Dos Equis Amber especially for beef and lamb dishes or with mole. I've also read that Margaritas go well with Mexican food because the lime and the tequila mix well with the flavor and heat of the chilies used in Mexican cooking.

Mexico has about 100,000 acres of vineyards, but the majority of the production is used to make brandy and sherry. Mexico exports very little wine, although I understand some does make its way into the southwestern regions of the U.S. Mexico produces and exports a fair amount of beer,from the light Coronas to the more complex Dos Equis and Negra Modelo.

Could it be, that with all that beer and so little wine, why we equate Mexican food with beer instead of wine?

I've also been reading a lot lately that Zinfandel and chocolate make for a nice pairing. "Eat a bit of chocolate and wash it down with a sip of zin," I'm told. I have not tried it yet, but will soon.

Mole sauce is very complex, but one of the key ingredients is Mexican Chocolate which is used to finish and round-out the sauce.

My logic suggests that it might be worthwhile to try a Zin with a Mexican dish that uses Mole as a sauce.

I also ran across a couple of Spanish wines that might do nicely paired with authentic Mexican food. They have been described as "mouth filling and earthy."

Vina Mayor, Crianza, Ribera del Duero

Finca Retuerta, "Abadia Retuerta,"
Sardon de Duero

Authentic Mexican food paired with good wine - now that seems to be a paradigm worth investigating!