Tonight, Kara and I were in a burrito type of mood…
You know the feeling.
But… I was also in a wine type of mood…
You know the feeling.
Finding the right wine to pair with a burrito is kinda tough though…
I mean…
When’s the last time you ordered wine at a Mexican restaurant?
After picking up a couple burritos at La Choza Taqueria in Morgan Hill I took a look in the wine cabinet to see if any of my GV Specials would work. After a few minutes, I came up with this one…
Estampa 2007 Assemblage
The Estampa 2007 Assemblage is a Chilean wine composed of 63% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Merlot. This wine retails for $10. I picked it because Chilean wines always come off as tasting a little green and spicy… The perfect complement for a big, savory burrito.
Here’s how it went down…
Color: This wine is a dark and dull reddish purple.
Nose: For a ten dollar wine, I was surprised by the big, decadent aroma of juicy plums, blackberries, and blueberries. There was a nice chalkiness to the nose… And you know I love chalk. This wine smells expensive.
Taste: Woah! This wine has big, aggressive tannins. For a 2007, this wine strikes me as tasting very young… But it’s gonna be a beast one day. Good fruit of plum and fig. Nice notes of green bell pepper.
Score: The only thing that is holding me back about this wine are those big tannins. I mean… They are big. I’m giving it an 89 today, but I think it has potential to knock some socks off in about five years.
Now, let’s try it with the burrito…
Un Super Burrito de Carne Asada
I love the burritos at La Choza.
I love them.
Chewy tortillas.
Juicy chunks of beef.
Sour cream… So creamy and sour.
I love ’em.
I just don’t love them with the Estampa.
Look…
The greenness of the wine did compliment the burrito, but those tannins… Those tannins are just too overwhelming.
Here’s what you should do.
Get you a burrito and a beer.
Enjoy the wine later.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Stay Rad 