Wine is for Everyone
I did not grow up with wine on the table but that is not stopping me from enjoying it now.
What I DID have on my table growing up was always tortillas. Mexican food, soda and juice. I had never seen any of our food paired with wine. I hadn’t really ever seen people of color and wine being marketed or advertised. I simply didn’t think wine was for me.
In fact it’s only been a few years since wine has been a part of my life. When I began my journey I was hesitant to try new wine, especially when it came down to ordering it off the menu. I was afraid to order the wrong thing and spend money on something I didn’t like or understand.
I have come so far from where I began. Today I am WSET 3 Certified and Sitting for the Court of Masters Certified Exam. Each day that passes I learn more and more about the wine we drink and how it can be made accessible for every palate, budget and level of wine drinker. I’ve discovered that Oaxacan Molé Negra can go beautifully with a deep and velvety Petite Sirah, and that savory pozolé tastes great with a crisp minerale driven Grüner Vetliner . I have yet to see any of these ethnic parings on any restaurant menu but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try them. Over the years I’ve decided that if they don’t have a seat for me at the table, I make my own table. This means at home, among friends and usually at a price I can afford.
My passion is bringing wine into the world of people like me, who may have not otherwise tried it and demystifying the space of wine to make it accessible for all. While there is still work to be done to bring these food and wine pairings to people in communities where wine and fresh food is scarce, this should not stop us from enjoying them now. If they don;t offer it, we can create the pairings we wish to see. Wine is for everyone.
Wine Pairings for Ethnic Foods
Champagne and Fried Chicken - This salty bubbly paring has recently become a modern phenomenon but the roots of this paring did not evolve from winemakers Northern France. Instead we owe this food and winegasm to Black folxs most likely the Southern US population you pioneered Friend Chicken and Waffles as Soul Food classic. Try: NV Brut Champagne J. Lasselle (MSRP $28) and Big Mama’s Fried Chicken Recipe.
Petite Sirah and Mole Negra - I have never seen this pairing on a menu but recently tried it at home and was blown away. I was able to order La Calenda’s Mole Negra Enchiladas and pair it with a bottle of 2017 Adaptation Petite Sirah, ( $54 Napa Valley) for a velvety savory delicacy.
Gruner Vetliner and Green Pozolé- Following the path of my Mexican Heritage I put together a dish of savory Green Pozolé with the crisp Austrian wine Grüner Vetliner. What a formidable pair. The way the minerality and slight effervescent complimented this savory and balanced tomatillo based chicken soup was intesnely complex and aromatically sublime. I used Mama Latina’s Green Pozolé Recipe with a Broadbent Grüner Vetliner (Niederösterriech, Austria $9 for 1L)
