¡Torta Night!

…just another Monday night in Los Angeles, but my wife decided that last night was Torta Night. For those of you who don’t know what a torta is, it’s a uniquely Mexican sandwich; you can read a brief definition here.

When my wife makes a meal declaration, I’m not one to argue. So knowing that Tortas were on the menu, I decided I better pick up some appropriate wine. I dropped in on Gus, the owner of Chronicle Wine Cellar in Pasadena. I respect his wine wisdom, and it seems that Spanish wines are one of his specialties. If you’re ever in the area, pop in and say hello. No need to research his business hours, look for the American flag on the post at the end of the driveway. If it’s flying, he’s open.

I told him it was Torta night, and we decided on a couple of bottles… I paid the man (cash only) and went to pick up dinner.

The spot for tortas in Eastern Los Angeles county is King Torta. I grabbed a couple of beef and a couple of chicken, along with some rice and beans. You can’t have Mexican food without rice and beans. You just can’t. Upon return to Casa de Neil, dinner was served.

The first course was some good old fashioned cheese tamales. As we unwrapped them, I opened up the white that I brought home: the 2008 Cono Sur Viognier. It worked well with the slightly greasy, green-chili-laden cheese tamale. Apple and peach aromas are followed by flavors of apricots and honey on the palate. This pleasant, light-bodied, balanced Chilean white finishes with a nice, dry finish. I savored my glass with my cheese tamale, and then went in for my carne (beef) torta.

For my red bottle, Gus turned me on to the 2004 Equis Vina Viejas. This Spanish blend is 40% Bobal (a red grape that I am not very familiar with), 20% Merlot, 10% Syrah, 10% Garnacha, 10% Cabernet and 10% Tempranillo. The wine is dark red, with nice, fresh berry notes on the nose which continue on the palate. The fruit is a bit jammy, but the intense flavors of the food make it all work.

The great thing about both of these wines is that, like tortas, they were very easy on the wallet Each bottle was under 8 bucks and it was a tasty, budget-conscious Los Angeles meal. And there were a few leftovers, so I’m gonna wrap this up and dive in…