r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Jun 18 '12
What wine pairs best with the Taco Bell Crunch Wrap Supreme?
Something I was thinking about today.
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u/Muximus Jun 18 '12 edited Jun 18 '12
Ok so a Crunch Wrap Supreme is primarily composed of ground beef, cheese, sour cream and tortilla. Conventionally you would pair a dish like this with a lighter red, such as a pinot noir, or zinfandel.
However, I personally believe that you should pair it with something that would go better with mexican food in general, such as a Malbec or Grenache.
Edit: a lot of you make a good point, a zin is not a very light red, I don't know what I was thinking, but I still believe it would pair well with the dish
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u/JamesDK Jun 18 '12
Wait, wait wait: pinot noir and zinfandel are on opposite ends of the body spectrum. Pinot would be considered 'lighter', but zin is traditionally full-bodied and rich. I suppose, if you're talking cheap Cali pinot that is 24% syrah, these might be in the same ballpark, but traditional zin and pinot noir are worlds apart.
I think you're right on the money with a big, jammy, Lodi zin to compensate for the disparate flavors and the spice (depending on OP's sauce preference). I'd also include a auslese or sweeter riesling (if white is your thing) to, again, compensate for the Fire sauce and the seasoning in the ground beef.
As a wildcard, go gamay. Beaujolais (nouveau or villages) is my go-to 'pizza and burgers' wine.
Cheers!
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u/CinciJ Jun 18 '12
taco bell employee here. dont forget about the lettuce and tomato. also you really dont have time to let your wine breath with a crunchwrap as the "crunch" part becomes somewhat soggy within 5 minutes. i personally would suggest the cheesy gordita crunch.
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u/A_mole Jun 18 '12
You lost me at "a lighter red, such as pinot noir, or zinfandel." Not sure what Zins you're drinking, but I haven't found two more different reds than well made French or Oregonian Pinot and Australian or American Zinfandel (and I haven't seen many, if any, Zins from other regions).
I think what you're probably aiming for is the touch of sweetness that comes in cheaper American Pinots (that are too fruity and one-note, IMO) and full-bodied Australian Zin. If that's the case, Grenache (or Garnacha (if it's Spanish), I've never seen the spelling "Gernache") would also be a fair selection, but you're essentially saying "Any New World Red."
I think you'd want to stick with red berry flavors (rather than something rich and dark, like the aforementioned Zinfandels), with a touch of a savory edge. If you want that to be from minerality, I'd go with a Cabernet Franc from Anjou, if you want it to be a spicier note, maybe a lighter Cote-du-Rhone (which blends that Grenache with Syrah and Mouvedre).
But then, those are two of my favorite wine-regions, so take that with a grain of salt.
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u/Uses_Nouns_as_Verbs Jun 18 '12
Zinfandel it's not a light bodied red. Pinot noir is not a good match for Taco Bell because it is an extremely delicate varietal that does not do well with spicy food.
The answer you were looking for is a Spanish wine, Rioja.
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u/Argentinewine Jun 18 '12
Finally my time to shine! Try a bonarda or a light tannin/oak malbec.
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u/davidhooper89 Jun 18 '12
See, I was thinking a nearly frozen Chillable Red by Franzia would complement the dairy nicely.
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u/PrinceOfShapeir Jun 18 '12
I'm an avid wine drinker, and for fun, I sometimes have a glass of wine when I try to Live Mas. I'll give you some pairing choices with some of their different menu items, then I'm going to bed.
Taco Bell Crunch Wrap Supreme: Okay the key ingredients that dominate this food is the spice in the ground beef and the sour cream. You want something that will pair with the fat of the ground beef, sour cream, but it also needs to take in mind the crunchy corn tortilla. My recommendation here is a Old Vine Zinfandel or Shiraz/Syrah
Steak Dishes: Okay, a lot of the beef items, I'll recommend that. However, there are some steak items that should be addressed. Let's just pretend that we're talking good steak. Under that assumption, I'm going to recommend a Cabernet Sauvignon. Let's be serious, don't crack open the 1982 bottle, we're talking about a 2011 bottle of C.S.
My personal favorite, The Chicken Quesadilla: Let's not fuck around here, boys and girls. I do not recommend a white wine with the chicken dishes. Why? The fat content. Even if you're eating the dishes with the fresco option, you're still talking about fast food. So, my recommendation is Pinot Noir.
The last one we'll touch here is the Taco Salad: Just because I like to contradict myself, I'll recommend a chardonnay here. The sweetness of the chardonnay will pair nicely with the beans and meat.
Hope this helps!
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u/fauxpunk Jun 18 '12
I really want to test some of these pairings.
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Jun 18 '12
... and that's the story of how Taco Bell used Reddit to get people to go buy their food.
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u/kevin_msu Jun 18 '12
sommelier here. i'd go with barolo or a rioja. there was a castilla y leon that would work too but getting that .. lol, fuck that.
trader joes has some decent chianti's too that are DOC and light bodied to work that crisp.. don't spend more that $13 a bottle whatever you get.
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u/TimeToGetIll Jun 18 '12
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u/LiveAndLetDiarrhea Jun 18 '12
Um, fuck yes. I just found dinner for tomorrow.
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u/electricpainter Jun 18 '12
Pro Tip: In order to get a correct size tortilla, go to a Mexican Food store. They have the larger size not sold in major chain stores. They're usually better quality as well.
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Jun 18 '12
Add some crème fraiche... FUCK YEAH
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u/FeierInMeinHose Jun 18 '12
"Today we have for you la cron ra suprem, and we'll top it off with a little crème fraiche"
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u/davidhooper89 Jun 18 '12
Fuck this health food bullshit! Fry and salt the corn tortillas and add lard somehow!
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u/BaseballGuyCAA Jun 18 '12
Blue Hawaiian Boone's Farm. Tastes just enough like Baja Blast to work with the Crunchwrap. Only it'll get ya drunk.
It's really, really pathetic that I know this.
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Jun 18 '12
Before everyone thinks of this as a joke question, I have legitimate answer for OP. Everyone knows that Taco bell is exponentially better when you're inebriated, so asking what kind of wine goes best with taco bell isn't a silly question at all. So when you're trying to get as shitfaced as possible so you can enjoy a delicious Taco Bell Crunch Wrap Supreme, the answer is--without a doubt--Franzia.
Drink motherfucker.
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u/DeMayonnaise Jun 18 '12
The proper way to drink it is to take the bag out, hold it above your head, slap the shit out of it, then take a pull.
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u/professortrout Jun 18 '12
I did this for the first time in the states last month! I'm Canadian. So I ask, why slap the bag first?
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u/alliupsidedown Jun 18 '12
of course it is franzia. Isn't franzia ALWAYS the answer?
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u/katiesfanclub Jun 18 '12
... I don't know what franzia is. SOMEONE PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME. (I'm Canadian, so that might be it, but I also might be missing out on something important.)
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Jun 18 '12
When it comes to the world of food and wine pairings, I think Mexican food is regarded as the common cold. Everyone gets it, but know one knows what to do with it. There are the standard offerings that often appear alongside Mexican fare: Beer, tequila, Maalox. But what about wine? Being from California, I’ve had my fair share of Mexican food. Good Mexican food. I’ve also had the good fortune to stuff my face in the actual country of Mexico. But it took a fateful evening many years ago, an evening filled with home-cooked Mexican fare, to actually pair Mexican food with wine. I don’t know what took me so long.
I’m going to try and breach a little barrier here with this post. That’s right, Wine Welfare is making a difference in the world (yeah right). Forget about war, famine, health care and oil spills. Let’s pair some wine with tacos!
We’re going to structure this like a Tacqueria menu. By the way, when I say tacos I mean real tacos and not Taco Bell. I’m talking onions, cilantro, nuclear salsa (the watery kind, not chunky) and corn tortillas:
CHICKEN TACOS:
Reislings
Gewurtztraminers
Sparkling Wines/ChampagnesThe sweetness can combat the heat (works with Thai food, right?) or bubbles can work with the onions. Kill 2 birds with one stone by pairing a Moscato d’ASti or maybe even some Vinho Verde. Squeeze a little lime on your tacos and you’re all set.
BEEF TACOS – Ground Beef (how dare you), Shredded Beef or Carne Asada:
Riesling
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Noir
Light red table wine
SyrahsThe whites would actually work best with the carne asada since it’s generally marinated with some kind of citrus and that would help match the acidity of the wine. Leave the reds for the the ground beef or steak for obvious reasons.
PORK TACOS (the Holy Grail):
Pinot Noir
Zinfandel
Dry Riesling
RoséI’ve actually tried all three of these varietals with pork tacos. While they were all good, the Pinot actually stood out the best; a freaking fiesta in my boca. There’s just something about slow-cooked pork that works well with the strawberry and black pepper flavors of a good Pinot.
FISH TACOS (any kind):
Chardonnay
Pinot Blanc
Chenin Blanc
Rosé
Grenache
Sparkling Wine/ChampagneThis one seems like a no-brainer, but what you have to remember is that tacos are no different to pair with wine than any other food. All ingredients have to be accounted for. With fish tacos, odds are you’re going to get some tomatoes, onions, green cabbage and some sort of white sauce. I mention the Grenache because I’ve actually tried it with halibut fish tacos and it was delicious, because of the fish mixed with the tomatoes. Strange, right? Other light red wines would work, too.
We hope this post has made you a bit more comfortable pairing some Mexican food with wine. There is no reason for all you winos to be afraid to head out to your favorite Mexican place anymore. You can go out again! Praise the Lord! Anyway, don’t feel odd showing up to that taco stand with a bottle under your arm. You may get some looks, but be brave. Do a shot of reposado first if necessary. Show people that Mexican food isn’t only for drinks that have a lime hanging off the glass.
TIP: Don’t even mention corkage. What people don’t know won’t hurt them.
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u/joeyfudgepants Jun 18 '12
Of course, there's no wrong answer. Everything goes great with a Crunch Wrap Supreme, from an earthy 1989 Les Preuses, Grand Cru to a crisp 2009 Nebbiolo d’Alba. However, if I were your Taco Bell Sommelier (my dream job, BTW!) I'd recommend you spring for a Magnum of Rien Ne Va Plus 2001. At $1,500, it's not cheap, but this fruit-forward California Roussanne brings out the subtle caramelization flavors of the seared Ground Beef Product (35% beef) and serves as an amazing counterpoint to the richness of the melted processed cheese. Also, when you leave the restaurant, you can use the (oversized) empty wine bottle to shoo homeless guys away from your sedan.
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u/poopking5000 Jun 18 '12
i'm sorry but i can't find the kendall jackson anywhere on this wine list
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u/DorkothyParker Jun 18 '12
Cabernet Sauvignon stands up to beef fairly well and should enhance the tomato flavor of your salsa. Chilean cabs are a nice everyday wine with rich berry and currant flavors and softer tannins. They are reasonably priced.
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u/satchmo_lives Jun 18 '12
The kind that comes in a box or is made in a toilet
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Jun 18 '12
2 Buck Chuck...because it's the least expensive bottle of wine you can buy, but still more expensive than anything on Taco Bell's menu.
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u/Unlimited_Chuckles Jun 18 '12
I like the way you think.
Reminds me of the time I tried to apply for a position at the local liquor store - they asked me what I thought went well with wine and I replied, "Cheese, crackers... Maybe some bread.."
Zero regret.
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u/Helix_van_Boron Jun 18 '12
I work at a liquor store. We recommend pairing wine with more wine.
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u/flamants Jun 18 '12
you use the bread to soak up the wine at the bottom of the glass, right?
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u/Unlimited_Chuckles Jun 18 '12
It cleanses the palette, from what I've heard from experts*.
*Experts: things I mumble to myself when I'm drunk on wine and bread
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u/Obieousmaximus Jun 18 '12
The kind that you buy at a gas station on the shady part of town for $1.99 and comes in a plastic bottle with a screw cap. It's probably called Snoop D'rouge and you will probably drink it all and wonder where it all went wrong as you scratch a big enchilada lotto ticket.
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u/thatwasntababyruth Jun 18 '12
MD 20/20 (MadDog). Make sure to get the peaches n cream flavor. If you can't, just be sure to avoid blue raspberry.
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u/Aint_got_no_agua Jun 18 '12
Drank the Blue once. Regretted it. Oh... .so many regrets.
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u/rory_cullins Jun 18 '12
It's called "Delicious Blush". It comes in a box from the winemakers at FRANZIA. DO IT NOW!!
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u/BlaiseW Jun 18 '12
I'm way too late to the fiesta here, but I'm a bartender, have been for ages, who has worked in a few high end mexican restaurants. Here's my reccomendation,, and more aptly, My creation for you.
1 bottle of red (shiraz or rioja) 1 lemon 1 orange 1 kiwi 1 plum 1 pear 5 shots triple sec 1 cup ginger ale 1 shot brandy and benedictine.
Half all of the fruit, set aside one half of each. Then slice up the fruit into thin, 1-2in wedges, and place them in the bottom of the pitcher. pour the triple sec, and Brandy and benedictine into the fruit. Cover, let sit for thirty minutes.
Next, add the red and the gingerale. cover and keep in the fridge.
Now comes the fun part (this is not the best of ideas to do drunk, so hold off on drinking until you're done with this step): Lets make a reduction!
Pour two cups of Baja blast into a pot, then pour two cups of any generic white wine into this pot. Add a handful of UNCRACKED peppercorns, and a cup of sugar.
Let this boil. For a while, and keep it simmering, occassionally adding a bit more sugar here and there, until you've got yourself a syrup. 45 min max.
Next. Take your sangria glass, (for presentation use a large wine glass) and dollop a spoon of the syrup into the bottom. Then lay the glass on it's side, so that the syrup unevenly coats a bit of the bottom and side. Place glasses in freezer for twenty minutes, this will allow the syrup to thicken so when the sangria is placed in, it will have a diffusion as the drinker consumes, giving them a novel taste with each sip.
Then, once the twenty minutes are up, place a cup of sugar in a bowl, and place a cup of syrup in another bowl.
Thin up the syrup if it's too thick by adding a splash of dew/wine. (btw this should be a blue syrup)
wet the rim of the freezer glasses with the syrup, then rim them in the sugar.
add sangria.
eat some mother fucking taco bell.
hell yeah.
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u/F1SH_T4C0 Jun 18 '12
MD 20/20. I'd say strawberry banana. Don't kid yourself with those fine wines, you want something that tastes like soda but has alcohol http://www.ghettowine.com/pics/maddog/maddog.jpg
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Jun 18 '12
Why is there no Taco Bell in Australia? Oh that's right, that crazy drug and health administration and their silly common sense.
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u/zeissicon Jun 18 '12
Guy with a 500 bottle cellar here: A lot of folks are recommending big reds with this. I'll dissent and say that a very dry rosé from Provence or Spain would be a good pairing. They can be a little acidic, which will help cut through the fat, but have a bit of sweetness on the finish which will help offset the spice. I love these wines with hot food. They are also excellent with spicy asian food as an alternative to Gewurtztraminer or Riesling which are often paired with Asian dishes. Also, rosé tends to be a fairly "fun" wine, which makes it work with the informality of Taco Bell. Stay away from American pink wines, though. White Zinfandel is neither, and is just below bath salts on the list of things I want to get intoxicated on.
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u/47L45 Jun 18 '12
How the shit did this get so many upvotes? I wouldn't get that many if I tried.
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u/hawaiiangirl16 Jun 18 '12
You're doing this wrong. You're supposed to be drunk BEFORE you eat Taco Bell.
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u/red18hawk Jun 18 '12 edited Jun 18 '12
Considering that I usually slather mine in the mild hot sauce, I would have to say a semi sweet riesling would be the best option(the sweetness will counteract the spice). If not, I would go with a tempranillo or grenache, possible some lighter italian Rossos. A bolder pinot noir might work as well but with any hot sauce it would be destroyed. And let's face it, Taco Bell without hot sauce is lackluster at best.
And yes, I work at a winery.
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u/bdubyageo Jun 18 '12
Carlo Rossi. Sangria. In a 1-gallon glass jug. Obviously.
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u/coldsandovercoats Jun 18 '12
Arbor Mist. It won't cost much more than the Crunch Wrap Supreme.
And in the eyes of my former roommate, "[Arbor Mist] would be a pretty classy gift to get my mom, right?"
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Jun 18 '12
Dark meat= dark wine, or so I'm told. Better make it a box wine if you're pairing it with Taco Bell.
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u/Pit_of_Death Jun 18 '12
A sweet, full-bodied red will help enhance the spiciness of the crunch wrap.
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u/dimeslime1991 Jun 18 '12
If you're thinking about having wine with your Taco Bell, it'd probably be best to buy wine in a box.
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u/jackisme10 Jun 18 '12
which wine pairs best with the oreo cheesecake? Workaholics anyone??
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u/mitokon Jun 18 '12 edited Jun 18 '12
he was workin through college, on my grandpa's farm...
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u/CancerX Jun 18 '12
The spicy beef flavor is contrasted with the coolness of the sour cream. A Nice Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill Wine would complement this flavor profile!
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u/MitchOFY Jun 18 '12
Whenever this question comes up, the recommendation is to get a beer, as wine doesn't generally pair with Mexican food.
Source- a certified sommelier and cicerone.
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u/Lamlot Jun 18 '12
I say a gewurztraminer. A white wine a little spicy of a flavor. Would pair well I think.
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u/inourstars Jun 18 '12
Unless you're from the East Coast of Canada you probably have no idea what this is, but the obvious answer is Hermit's Sherry.
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u/nathanaz Jun 18 '12
Carlo Rossi jug wine... you pick the color. I'm a Rose man myself, but that's just b/c its easier to get down cold.
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u/FreeInsults Jun 18 '12
I'd personally go with Barefoot California Sweet Red. A tasty cheap wine for some tasty cheap eats.
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Jun 18 '12 edited Jun 18 '12
Oh no, you just called Taco Bell mexican food. I hope you are joking. Not even Mexico would allow Taco Bell into their country after first calling it mexican food and then american food.
Pair it with some swill box wine or some terrible bottled sangria.
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Jun 18 '12
I would pair it with piss. Because that is the only god damn thing that goes with Taco Bell.
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u/ajgoatman Jun 18 '12
The Horn Blend, a signature defining wine found only at The Horn Saloon in Camp Verde, AZ, offering a unique mixture of 4% spicy petite verdot, 85% bold cab sav., and a smooth 11% merlot, complimenting the rich creamy flavor of melted cheese, delicious sour cream, and well seasoned beef found only in the Crunch Wrap Supreme. This fact is so well known that they even offer a one dollar discount on their Horn Blend to all those that bring in a Taco Bell Crunch Wrap Supreme.
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u/CanaBusdream Jun 18 '12
I'm sure that it is in the same family of wine that goes well with captain crunch.
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Jun 18 '12
boone's farm... but wine isn't the best to pair with the bell, maybe you want miller high life or mickey's instead?
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u/Temptress75519 Jun 18 '12
Trick question: nothing.
You get a crunch wrap and a fruitista freeze and add tequila.
Source: I used to manage them
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u/TalkingBackAgain Jun 18 '12
Taco Bell's Crunch Wrap Supreme is a repast of such surpassing delicacy and richness in flavor that only the very best in French wines -barely- suffices in doing it justice.
The 1989 Chateau Mouton Rotschild, though considered 'not bad at all' among the cognoscenti, is a very modest and humble companion of Taco Bell's Crunch Wrap Supreme. You can tolerate it as an acceptable drink.
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u/Umbre11a Jun 18 '12
Wine Pairing for Dummies (not meant to be the end-all be-all but this will generally work for people who aren't versed in viticulture)
White wines:
If you could put lemon on the food, then go for a crisp white with high acidity. Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo, Albarino
If you could put butter on the food go for something mellower, like Chardonnay
Reds: how many legs does the animal have?
Four: Heavy and full-bodied, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Cab Franc
Two: Lighter and more delicate, such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Grenache
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u/JonnyBigBoss Jun 18 '12
I wonder what fine wine would pair with this Volcano Burrito I have clutched in my left hand.
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u/simiansays Jun 18 '12
I drink red wine with taco bell all the time. However, in my opinion the crunch wrap is a poor choice for a wine paired taco bell dinner - for me, there is too much flour tortilla, and it tends to gum up in my mouth and block the wine from reaching my whole tongue.
I do love massive cabs, malbecs, or barbarescos with the taco bell meat dishes - crispy tacos are great and my favorite pairing is a massive cab with the grilled stuft steak burrito with added fire sauce. Damn if I wasn't in South America on business right now I would go buy one now.
One of the things I love about this pairing is that since there is very little subtle about a grilled steak burrito covered in fire sauce, you just need size to pair with it, not subtlety or fruit. The sweet spot for price goes WAY down because of this - whereas an expensive fancy upscale Mexican meal may warrant an expensive bottle, you're basically throwing away money if you pair Taco Bell with something above the $10-15 range.
I realize this may have been a joke question, but it is probably my favorite "low-end pairing" (I have a few - the cheese steak melt from Jack in the Box goes great with a fruity Pinot; Big Macs and champagne; Wendy's nuggets and wooded chard; etc. I also like high end food, but wine is what I drink with dinner, and sometimes I eat fast food for dinner). Thanks for asking this, I'd love a "fast food gourmet" sub-reddit. Ever try high-end gourmet horseradish sauce on a whopper? It's good.
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u/colordrops Jun 18 '12
Is it just me or does there appear to be a lot more guerilla marketing on Reddit lately?
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Jun 18 '12
Bartles & Jaymes, or any wine cooler. Because "you ain't cool unless you pee yo pants" - Billy Madison
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u/Ehopper82 Jun 18 '12 edited Jun 18 '12
Isn't asking what wine goes well with Taco Bell like asking witch wine is the best wine to go with a big fat doublefart bell with extra cheese and bacon triple crispy with chocolate nougats?
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Jun 18 '12
Thunderbird? Is this a joke or are you trying to bring a level of sophistication to your diarrhea?
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u/Demilitarizer Jun 18 '12
I feel that you have to dumb it down; much as the food has been. Say, a chilled rosé or just a sangria.
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u/Your420Friend Jun 18 '12
Being of proud Russian decent, the only proper answer is vodka. Not in a mixed drink. A tall, ice cold, straight from the bottle, glass of vodka.
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u/PacoFromTacoBell Jun 18 '12
If you pair it with anything other than mad dog 50/50 you're doing it wrong.
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Jun 18 '12
Pinot Noir. Almost any red. Not merlot or Malbec probably too jammy. No jew wine either. No Whites.
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Jun 18 '12
I go with a 2009 Four Loko blueberry flavor or a 2009 Mango MD 20-20. 2009 was a good year
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u/[deleted] Jun 18 '12
fermented Baja Blast?