Topolobampo's Top Ten Tips For Pairing Wine With Classic Mexican Food
1. Pair wine with the sauce, not the meat, poultry or fish on the plate. The classics of Mexican food are always defined by their sauces.
2. Start your wine-sauce pairing by focusing on the chile featured in the sauce.
3. Sauces that feature fresh green chiles typically pair best with white wines.
4. Sauces that feature dried red chiles typically pair best with red wines.
5. Sauces that feature tomatillos as background to the chiles typically pair best with fruity Syrahs or New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.
6. Sauces that feature tomatoes as background to the chiles typically pair best with Italian varietals like Sangiovese or Barbera.
7. Match a wine's acidity to the characteristic lime, sour orange, and fruit vinegar found in many classic Mexican sauces. Good acidity in a wine is frequently appreciated.
8. Match a wine's fruitiness to the characteristic fruitiness of many classic Mexican sauces: chiles are botanically fruits (clearest in the flavors of dried chiles), but many Mexican sauces weave other fruits in as well. Concentrated fruit in a wine is frequently appreciated.
9. Sparkling wines with spicy food can lack the finesse offered by still wines. Sparkling wines work beautifully with the richer handmade masa appetizers, but no need to go overboard.
10. Match a wine's fruit to the spice level of the sauce. Spiciness does not detract from wine if the spice is well integrated into the sauce and the intensity of the wine's fruit matches the intensity of the spiciness. This doesn't mean matching sweetness to spiciness. In fact, off-dry wine can often overwhelm the food's flavor.

Suggested Pairings With Classic Mexican Food
Chipotle Chile: Smoke-dried jalapeno, quite spicy, backed up with welcome sweetness. Explore Argentine Malbec (rich, forward fruit with smoky, earthy finish), Tempranillo from Spain's Ribera del Duero (fuller than Rioja).

Epazote: Pungent herb with piney aroma used extensively in Central, Southern, and Eastern Mexico. Explore Argentine Torrontes (floral notes) or New Zealand Pinot Noir (bright, lively fruit).

Guajillo Chile: Light cranberry-red, long, smooth-skin dried chile, medium to spicy, with a bright liveliness (some say it's “aggressive”). Explore California or Languedoc Syrah (supple, forward fruit to balance heat).

Hoja Santa: Bold herb with alluring sasparilla and anise flavors integral to Southern and Gulf Coastal food. Explore Riesling or Vouvray (Chenin Blanc) to match the sweet anise.

Huitlacoche: Inky-colored, earthy-sweet corn mushroom that is a delicacy in Central Mexico. Explore Tempranillo or full-bodied Pinot Noir (French or Californian) for their earthy fruitiness.

Pasilla Chile: Very dark, long dried chile, medium spicy, with deep flavors that hint at (yes!) bitter chocolate and coffee. Explore Zinfandel (rich spicy-fruit), Chilean Cabernet blends (dark fruit, soft tannins).

Poblano Chile: Large, dark-green chile, medium spicy, with rich, complex earthy flavors. Explore Austrian Gruner Veltliner, Moscatel, or dry Riesling (all have welcome citrus flavors).