Mexican Wine Council Pairs Wine with Tamales

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By Alfredo Espinola, reporting from Mexico City

     In Mexico, February 2 is celebrated as Candelaria, a holiday related to the tradition of breaking the "rosca de reyes" cake, which represents the encounter of the three kings with the newborn Jesus. The Mexican Wine Council (Consejo Mexicano Vitivinícola [CMV]) took advantage of the holiday this year to create an event called “Tasting Mexican Wine with Tamales.”

    The connection makes sense – in the Mexican tradition, whoever finds the little figure of the baby Jesus in the rosca de reyes cake is in charge of giving tamales to their family. This tradition dates back to the Aztec calendar, where there was the blessing of corn that was commemorated with the creation of corn-based dishes. 

     A group of media specializing in Mexican wines and restaurants were invited to this tasting. The event was held at Sonia Restaurant in Mexico City, a small but cozy space, where the cuisine is inspired by the flavors of home and family meals.

     Ana Paula Robles Sahagún, current general director of CMV, hosted the event.

     “Enjoying tamales on this date is a pleasure that requires beverages with the same or greater aromatic, gustatory and tactile complexity, such as wine, and what better than a Mexican wine,” said Robles.

     Guests were welcomed by Eduardo Mejia Aldan, sommelier of Freixenet Mexico, and Chef Edgar Delgado, co-founder of Grupo Lunfardo, who created the menus at Sonia and two other Mexico City restaurants, Lo de Julio and Parrilla Paraiso. Delgado prepared a special selection of wines and Mexican tamales.

     “We are making a contrasting combination where both flavors stand out, with Mexican wines and traditional tamales,” said Mejía.

The menu included:

  • Sala Vivé Semiseco, a sparkling white wine, accompanied by a red tamale made of corn dough and stuffed with mushrooms in guajillo marinade, wrapped in avocado leaves, topped with bean sauce, quesillo and crema fresca.
  • Sala Vivé Marselan, a red wine, accompanied by a green tamale made with corn dough, grilled pork ribs and alcaparrado (a mixture of olives, pimento strips and capers).
  • Sala Vivé Pinot Nair Rosé, accompanied by a sweet tamale made with corn dough filled with dulce de cajeta, topped with grapefruit sabayon (a sauce made with egg yolks, sugar and wine, and in this case, grapefruit juice) and whiskey.

     These three tamales were created and prepared especially for this wine tasting and will be included in the seasonal menu of Restaurant Sonia, according to Delgado.

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