Castano - 2006 Yecla Monastrell

When I was a little boy, I would occasionally cook tacos for my family from the Ortega kit. It was so easy that even as a kid I could do it successfully, and this experience was seminal in my lifelong love of food and cooking. It is slightly embarrassing to admit that, on occasion, I still make tacos in the much same style.

Tonight was such an occasion. I couldn't decide what to make for dinner, and kept putting off the decision until it was too late to do anything the least bit elaborate. While Jenny was running on her treadmill, I ran to Metro Market for groceries.

I buy taco seasoning in bulk from Penzeys and add onion, garlic and a bit of tomato paste, so the filling is somewhat better than the Ortega seasoning packet, but little else has changed from my youth: grated cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, La Victoria taco sauce, and Ortega hard taco shells warmed in the oven.

While at Metro Market I picked a random, cheap bottle of red ($8.50 as I recall). Yecla is a DO located in eastern Spain that produces wines primarily from the Monastrell grape. Monastrell wines are typically high in alcohol and low in acid, and the Wine Lover's Companion says that they tend to be heavy and dry.

This bottle matches that description to a tee. With little acidity, this wine hits your tongue with a dull thud. It was barely up to accompanying the humble tacos I'd prepared for dinner. I won't be buying more.