Wine and dine

However, sometimes it’s important to acknowledge there’s room for discovery in the stars, or in this case the bottom of a stemmed glass. A decade worth of personal bias notwith standing, wine with Mexican cuisine is not only doable, it will solve the other 30 percent of roommate issues.

And so a game plan was formulated:

Pair wine with fare from Lansing-area Mexican restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That’s right, breakfast.

The first stop was eastside food truck El Oasis for two breakfast burritos: chorizo and eggs and steak and eggs. Admittedly, not many wines were great with the eggs, but one was just about perfect: Urban Riesling, 2013 from Mosel, Germany. The easygoing white peach, ripe citrus notes with a touch of sweetness made the world seem a little brighter. It’s the most basic Riesling from St. Urbans-Hof (a producer of great quality wines at all price ranges), and you can find it for about $10. Riesling is generally a great foil for many spicier foods because the higher acid counterbalances the heat, and does so without dumping higher amounts of alcohol on your tongue, which would notch up the fiery food attack.

Cancun Mexican Grill in Okemos was next on the docket with its tasty mole rancheros and burrito rancheros, both with chicken. The entrées needed a red wine with a just an edge of peppery spice and not too much tannin, and Perrin Cotes-du-Rhone rouge fit the bill. The 2011 vintage was juicy and only mildly earthy. Those cherry, plum and ever-soslight rosemary/pepper flavors were precisely what was needed, especially considering it’s also only about $10 a bottle.

Cotes-du-Rhone is a red or white wine from Rhone, France, a valley between Lyon and Avignon, along the Rhone River. The primary red grape is almost always Grenache, with the secondary grape of Syrah, although those roles reverse when you find the rare bottling from the northern part of Rhone. The Perrins are an iconic family in the south of France who own Chateau de Beaucastel. They also occasionally make wines with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Round three: Pablo’s Panaderia in Old Town. In theory, the chosen menu was lighter and leaner. But hey, research and development is not a place to skimp on sample size. Also, Mexican food is really, really good.

Pablo’s garlic sautéed shrimp dish was maybe the favorite of the day, and it went perfectly with a white wine with an origin that’s a touch off the beaten path: Alpha Estate’s 2011 Sauvignon Blanc. Pairing Sauvignon Blanc and shellfish is nothing new, but Alpha Estate is from northern Greece, not exactly a bastion of modern viniculture. But there’s been a sea change in worldwide perception in the last few years, partially because of excellent, high-acid assyrtiko from the idyllic Santorini, but also because of recently modernized wineries interspersed on the mainland.

Alpha Estate is a true leader of the latter, and this Sauvignon Blanc is destined for food from the sea. Notes of lemongrass, green apple, and some serious dried-rock minerality leverage some real weight in its mouthfeel, yet makes it feel so effortless. It was the unexpected surprise of the day, and can be found for around $20.

Pablo’s veggie chimichanga also found an ideal partner: A Chilean Pinot Noir hit the bullseye. Quality Pinot is usually grown well in cool-to-moderate climates like Burgundy, Oregon and the South Island of New Zealand. Chile is known for its carmenere and cabernet sauvignon, but with some good elevation or moderation from proximity to water, Pinot can thrive in Chile. The 2011 Echeverria Pinot Noir (at about $12) had some brooding plum, black cherry, rhubarb notes and had enough lively acidity to calm some slight heat. It’s a light-bodied red, with very little tannin supporting it.

Through the (absolutely not) arduous journey of eating and drinking, a lot can be learned about the glory of Mexican cuisine. No one’s about to assign blame if you say no to wine in favor of your Dos Equis. Just know there are some fun wine alternatives about just about the same cost.

All of these wines can be easily found or ordered from your favorite independent wine retailer. Just try and offer them some breakfast burritos when you go wine hunting. They’ll be thankful.

In vino veritas. Justin King is the sommelier for the Stand Gastro Bistro in Birmingham. You can tweet your favorite bottles at him @ PlonkAdvocate.