For me tamales are a holiday tradition. This Mexican dish is served in a corn husk and filled with masa, meat, chiles, and a multitude of other spices and ingredients. Making tamales is such a process that it can take days and often involves a tamalada, a tamale-making party that is a family tradition.
Tamales are complex and wonderful, and as a wine lover, the question I had was what is the best tamale and wine pairing. Of course as a native Texan and lover of all things Texas, I went over to a Texas favorite when it comes to wine, Kuhlman Cellars, to find that perfect wine and tamale pairing.
In general, rose is such a versatile wine and makes it an easy pairing for tamales. The masa and meat in the tamales make them a high fatty food so the acidity of the wine really helps cut through that to refresh the palate and create a rounded balance between the rich tamale and wine. Because of the chiles in tamales, and because I enjoy mine a little spicy, the candied watermelon body of the Kuhlmanation Estate with a medium acidity softens some of the heat and leaves refreshing honeydew and pink peppercorn. Or you can go with the Hensell, a rose with fresh red berries and and dried herb notes with just enough sweetness to balance the spice while leaving you with lingering notes of fruit.
In short, for a great tamale and wine pairing, the bright fruit notes of rose help balance out the savory tamales while the medium to high acidity helps cut through the fat and subtle spice for a refreshed palate each bite.
Last Updated 2 months ago by Jessica Serna | Published: December 21, 2019
