Wine, Dine and Sunset with Casa Madero
It is no secret that BuyPlaya foodies are big fans of wine pairing dinners. We love to explore and discover wines from around the globe, even more when we get to savor them with the perfect pairing. When discovering a wine, we also unveil its secrets, its roots, its past and origins. Personally, this is why Mexican wines have a very special place in my heart. Many years ago, I decided to make Mexico my new home. The story of wine in this beautiful country is an amazing way to understand its past, its present and also its future from a wine and food perspective.
Founded in 1597, Casa Madero is the oldest winery in the Americas. The fertile Valle de Parras is located in the southern region of the state of Coahuila. For over five centuries, Valle de Parras has been home to vineyards and the oldest winery in the Americas. In 1597, Don Lorenzo Garcia received an endowment of land from the Spanish Crown, which was the beginning of Hacienda San Lorenzo. In 1893, the Hacienda was acquired by Don Evaristo Madero, who hired the services of the best technicians and viticulturists; they acquired new varieties of grapes and brought modern equipment wine and barrels, turning the Hacienda into a major producer of wine and brandy in Mexico. Today, inspired by its rich history, the team manages to balance Casa Madero experience and innovation, passionately dedicated to producing some of the best Mexican wines.
Last week, BuyPlaya foodies attended a delightful and decadent wine pairing presented by Lat 20 Hotel and Casa Madero here in Playa del Carmen. Eduardo Garcia, food and beverage manager of Lat 20 Hotel, and his team, along with sommelier and Casa Madero representative Vianney Vázquez Arroyo, hosted a private wine pairing on the stunning rooftop of the charming hotel, with breathtaking sunset and ocean views.
A five course dinner was served and paired with Casa Madero's finest. Eduardo presented Chef Carlos Durán's creations, while sommelier Vianney introduced us to the wines that would be perfectly paired with each course.
The fabulous dinner started with a refreshing Chardonnay with a fruity character evoking essences of peach, green apple, pineapple and pear. This 100% Chardonnay was paired with an interesting yet fantastic ceviche of grouper with coconut, pecan nuts and lime foam.
The lovely Chardonnay also accompanied the second course: a garden salad with pea emulsion. The colorful salad tricked us by appearing as a flower bouquet, but each "flower" was in fact a different vegetable presented as an art piece.
After the lighter part of the meal, and to accompany a delightfully fresh garlic grouper with grilled shrimp, truffled mashed potatoes and "axiote paper", the Casa Madero Merlot was served: a fresh and complete wine with fruity aromas, tenacity and balanced acidity.
At the end of the evening, under a starry Caribbean sky, the highlights of the night made their big entrance... First, a fabulous rack of lamb (everyone that knows me know that not only I am wine lover and a Casa Madero lover, but also that I am a huge fan of lamb... A girl in heaven!) in basil with mashed sweet potatoes and a wonderful cranberry sauce.....
...and to pair with this amazing lamb, Vianney served us the other star of the night: the fantastic Casa Grande Cabernet Sauvignon. Elegant and complex, round and fruity in mouth, powerful and pleasant tannins. To create this powerful 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the best grapes in the vineyard are selected and handpicked at dawn to maximize the concentration of aromas.
To close this perfect night, we were served Casa Madero's dessert wine: Cosecha Tardia, powerful aromas of honey, white flowers, and exotic fruits such as passion fruit and lychee, with a pleasant and refreshing acidity.
Chardonnay and Cosecha Tardia (Dessert wine)
Vianney Vázquez Arroyo, sommelier and representative of Casa Madero
I personally became a fan of Mexican wines when I allowed myself to trust my instincts, my roots and my flair. As a half Canadian, half Mexican, I was always curious and eager to experience the different wines that inhabit the country in which I now live. My first love was Casa Madero. I am very pleased and excited to have introduced you to one of my favorite Mexican wines. The fun part of being a wine lover is to try, discover, taste, smell and of course enjoy. If you're living in Playa del Carmen or just here on vacation, allow yourselves to try local, to try Mexican. Casa Madero is available in most stores, so keep an eye open and dare to try!
Stay tuned for our other BuyPlaya wine blogs!
Andrea was born and raised in Montreal by a Mexican mother and a French Canadian father. She studied cinema and photography in Argentina and Montreal, and has now been living in Playa del Carmen for several years. Both her Mexican and Canadian roots are an important influence on her identity and how she perceives the world through her photography and writing as the content creator for BuyPlaya Real Estate Advisors www.buyplaya.co and the blogs at https://www.buyplaya.co/playalife/
Follow me on Instagram: http://instagram.com/andy_foodie_lifestyle_rm/