Each Friday, InterWined.com pairs one great wine with one great meal and publishes the results along with the recipe in a little feature it likes to call ‘Blow the Bank’.

This week, ‘Blow the Bank’ brings you InterWined’s Own Monkfish Mexican Rice (Arroz con Rape).

For those whose experience of Mexican rice is limited to Old El Paso and Taco Bell, InterWined’s Own dish might seem more accurately described as Spanish paella. After all, when was the last time that you saw monkfish on the menu at a Mexican restaurant in the United States? Even Wahoo’s Fish Tacos — regardless of its name might suggest ‐ serve relatively little fish.

But, fish is an integral part of much Mexican cuisine — how could it not be with nearly six thousand miles of coastline. And, while that figure might only be half that of the United States, it’s a pretty big number when one considers that the United States is nearly five times the size of Mexico.

What makes this rice dish Mexican rather than Spanish is the same thing that makes a Pinot Noir from Burgundy a Côte de Nuits or Côte de Beaune and not an Italian, New Zealand, or Oregon Pinot Noir. They share the same ingredients but result — sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically ‐ in different things.

The central difference between InterWined’s Own Mexican rice and Spanish paella is that paella is most often made with calasparro rice, rarely found in the UK or US outside of specially shops. (InterWined used a simple long grain.) A further one comes in the use of the main ingredients. Whereas paella begins with the meat, fish, and broth, InterWined’s Own Mexican rice dish begins with the rice and the spice.

Paired with the Monkfish Mexican Rice is the Catalan 2002 Xavier Clua Vindemia (13.5%) from Terra Alta in Spain, currently on sale at Cadman Fine Wines for £13.99 (original price £18.99). Made from Chardonnay (15%), Sauvignon Blanc (10%), and Garnacha Blanca (75%), the Vindemia smells like candied apples and caramel, making it seem like it might be better suited as an aperitif. However, once it reaches the tongue, the wine reveals as an intriguing blend of high-acid and oaky complexity reminiscent of the Sherries found in Jerez. This is a very good wine for food, with both the acid and oak sit well with the monkfish, prawns, squid, and cubed pancetta found in the Monkfish Mexican Rice.

InterWined’s Own Recipe in Full

Monkfish Mexican Rice

Click on the post to view and download the recipe

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At £20, the Carignan/Syrah 2002 Observatory Swartland (13%) from South Africa ain’t cheap. It also isn’t ready. It needs two more years — at least — of cellaring. So purchase it as part of a case, perhaps InterWined’sTotally Awesome Christmas Cracker Wine Case, and lay it to rest as a Cellar Secret (our code words for cellaring & wine storage).

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InterWined.con recently procured a £12 bottle of Merlot from a small Italian importer. Fortunately, the wine was sold at a 25% discount, and once tax was added the bottle came in right under the 10 quid limit…£9.7125 (yes, they charged me to the 10,000th of a pence).

The 2002 Monreale Rosso di Ture Merlot smells of fresh, black ink with a hint of the dairy farm thrown in. The wine could age for another 5 years, easy, but is already tempting with its jasmine-like perfumed aroma.

Deep ruby colour, densely coiled in its core. The wine slips gobs of tannin under the tongue with some zip. There is a bit of throat burn, so it could easily take to decanting. The mellowed-out wine (after an hour in the decanter) is strong and burly and could easily slaughter a spring lamb: 9.1.

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In this case: Viña Ventisquero Pinot Noir, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.

The 2005 will be the best – eventually. Now it’s the 2003. The 2002 is on its way out, and so lacks fresh vivacity and sandal soapiness of a Chilean Pinot Noir. The 2004 had too much rain, and that is evident in the wine, especially when running against the others.

A vertical of the Cabernet Sauvignons 2003, 2004, 2005: All decent. New Oak and mineral. The evening was sealed as winemaker Felipe Tossa Bruna presented a sneak peek of Ventisquero’s latest Iconic wine, Pangea. The wine is a collaboration of John Duval of Penfold’s Grange fame. The wine is being launched at the end of June, and will retail for around £25 per bottle.

Out of the league for the InterWined.com wallet, which doesn’t want to give away any tasting notes on Pangea just yet, except for this: buy a bottle for a special occasion. It is an incredibly delicious and drinkable wine.

Pangea rocks, dude.

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2002 Hawk Crest: The older of the two and ready-to-drink – Strongly Californian. Strong powerful nose, heavy body and a powerhouse finish, though short. A bit roasty-meaty and a bit blackberry. Not complex, but still as pleasing. Thanks for the memories Hawk Crest, but really, considering the nature of wine production, how can you remain so consistent? Curious comment, sure to have its share of detractors: 8.7.

2004 Cousino-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley: Other names on the bottle, such as ‘Estate bottled’ and ‘Antiguas Reservas,’ are just smoke and mirrors. Don’t mean it good, don’t mean it bad.

The label says 14% ABV, but the legs walk a 15.5%. Strong alcohol in the aroma confirms. Opened two hours, and the smell is still there. Best opened a day prior, and immediately re-corked. Some caramel and a touch of minty lamb.

The most shocking thing about this wine is likely due to critic-bias (a name InterWined just invented to explain how a wine taster cannot completely discount their own subjectivity based on their own experiences). For example, for reasons best left unexplained and unexplored, the Cousino-Macul smells, and even tastes, vaguely of Hawaiian Punch: 8.6.

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Bonterra 2004 Merlot and Zinfandel, ruby and peppery, respectively. Both full-bodied, but somewhat sweet. Well-priced and easy to drink. The lower blend of Shiraz-Carignan, whatever, cost around £5, and is about as tasty an Organic table can get.

2005 Vida Organica Sangiovese Bonarda blend, from Argentina. This nice little wine sells for £6 at one of London’s more impressive wine shops Planet of the Grapes. It’s peppery and smooth, very ripe with aromas of vine fruits. The label says red current, but InterWined tastes it as raspberry. Fun: 8.5.

2002 Williamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Pommard: Aromas of blackberry with a hint of vanilla. Tastes of grape lollipop and smoky oak. There’s something floral and vivacious, that is muted out by the folds of jasmine perfume that come and go: 9.1.

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I told him I only had five pounds. He sent his girl upstairs. She came back with a bottle: 2002 Chateau Lafitte Mengin, Premieres Cotes de BORDEAUX…”Good structure, body a bit heavy, but that’s just the oak. Ripe fruits. Vine fruits. Blackberry mainly. Some pepper.” Bordeaux: 8.5.

Rustling about, as if the wine bottles are hidden under 45 layers of taped-up bubble wrap, she hands me the 2002 Beronia Rioja Crianza. That means it’s been aged in oak a bit to mellow the tannin. Fresh and damp. Predictable and sincere. Oaky and oompfy. With, hold the phone, that characteristic smell of dill. The euphoria washes over. The simplicity of the wine. A choice made just for me: 8.8.

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