Celebrate Cinco de Vino on May 5th

Every 5th of May, more bars and restaurants jump on the Cinco de Mayo bandwagon, serving up tequila shots, margaritas, and barely-Mexican fare. Although the day marks the 1862 victory of the Mexican army over their French oppressors, not Mexican Independence Day, it has become a bit like a mini Fourth of July in many cities across the USA. If your taste, like ours, runs more towards the wine glass than the cocktail shaker, Cinco de Mayo is a good day to host a Mexican-themed dinner party for your amigos.

When choosing wine, consider the elements of the dishes you are serving. Bright foods flavored with chilis and citrus work well with crisp, high acid whites, while red meats or molé call for rich red wines. The best thing about a shared meal with friends is that you can start with fresh white wine for your aperitivos and primer plato, and then move into red with your plato principal. Even better, all the wines we’ve chosen ring up at between $10 and $25, another reason to celebrate.

Read on for our recommendations for the best Cinco de Vino choices. 

On warm days, we find that a hot soup, such as this Mayan Chicken and Lime Soup cools the body down. We discovered this on one of our many trips to the Yucatan, and now it is a household favorite. Fish tacos are also a good mid-course. We have the vivid flavor of jugo de lima or jugo de limon to contend with, so we are sticking with another zesty white. We are currently enjoying wines from the beautiful island of Santorini. The main grape grown there is Assyrtiko, which fits the bill perfectly.

Our recommendations:

Gaia Thalassitis 2012: Zippy but mouth-pleasing citrus flavors with crisp minerality are a good match for seafood or chicken prepared with spicy and tart notes.

SantoWines Nykteri 2012: A blend of mostly Assyrtiko with two other grapes, Aidani and Athiri, added in to lend savory notes and mouthfeel, Nykteri is a nice complement to poultry or fish with piquant overtones.

We know there will be some white and red on the table, so let’s add green, the third color of the Mexican flag, and begin with guacamole. Avocado can be tricky to pair, but the acid in the lime juice and tomato work really nicely with a bright white wine. Go ahead and have some salsa as well! Although the Mexicans and French were at odds 150 years ago, we drink lighter white wines from Burgundy when citrus and tomato are on the menu.

Our recommendations:

Domaine Christian Moreau Chablis 2011: Wines labeled “Chablis” are 100% Chardonnay from the north of Burgundy, and this one is very light on the oak, with refreshing citrus and tropical fruit flavors and a nice amount of brightness.

Cave de Lugny Macon-Villages 2011: Also 100% Chardonnay, this one is from the south of Burgundy. This has flavors of peach and lemon, and will hold up to the zesty notes of tomato and lime.

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For a main course of either beef, such as our Tequila Marinated Hanger Steak, or this modern version of chicken with molé we like a young Tempranillo from Rioja, in the north of Spain. Tempranillo is a medium-bodied red with luscious fruit flavors that derives some vanilla and spice notes from the time it spends in oak. By law, a wine labeled Crianza must spend one year in oak barrels and another in the bottle.

Our recommendations:

Viña Zaco Tempranillo 2010: An intense, fresh and berry-rich version from Bodegas Bilbainas, Viña Zaco will hold up to spicy meat or sauces, but not overpower the flavors of your dish.

Ontañon Crianza 2009: A blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha, the Ontañon Crianza has flavors of raspberry and black cherry and a luxurious mouthfeel with just the right amount of oak.