Napa Valley–based vintner Amelia Ceja is on a mission to introduce wine with Mexican food
Amelia Ceja’s deep connection with food goes back to her grandmother’s kitchen in Mexico. “Mamá Chepa” cooked only with ingredients they raised or foraged: a riot of chiles, wild mushrooms, and lamb. When Amelia arrived in the States, during the heyday of processed foods, lunchtime was a culture shock. Now, in her vineyard-home kitchen at Ceja Vineyards in Napa, she turns the produce from her organic garden into dishes that are tethered to Jalisco. The layers of earthy chiles hook up beautifully with the spice in Pinot Noir, Syrah, and even Cabernet.
Serve this fresh ceviche on a tostadita shell for a fun yet elegant appetizer.
Recipe: Salmon Ceviche
Pair with: Ceja 2012 “Bella Flor” dry rosé of syrah. Beautifully crisp, this pink handles the tangy citrus of the ceviche, and its bright red fruit tames the chiles and sets off the wild salmon.
Straight from the early-fall garden, eggplant with its skin on turns into a colorful, multitextured tostadita topping.
Recipe: Eggplant Salsa
Pair with: Ceja 2008 Pinot Noir. The earthy berry fruit in the wine makes the sweetness of the fresh eggplant pop; a hint of sassafras doubles the effect.
The combination of fresh and dried chiles creates layers of spicy, herbal flavor.
Recipe: Mexican Mussels with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Chiles
Pair with: Ceja 2009 Pinot Noir. The dried chiles in these mussels like the earthiness of the Pinot. The wine’s warm spices stand out, but with enough vibrant red fruit to handle the heat in the dish.
The deep flavor in this long-braised lamb dish belies the minimal labor it takes to make it. You don’t even need to brown the lamb.
Recipe: Easy Lamb Birria
Pair with: Ceja 2009 Syrah. This pungent lamb needs a dark, meaty red wine. The Ceja Syrah has a matching earthy soul from its cool-weather vineyard site.
The natural acidity of dry Sauvignon Blanc adds a tang that brightens up the sweet syrup on these pears.
Recipe: Sauvignon Blanc–Poached Pears with Spicy Pepitas
Pair with: Ceja 2008 “Dulce Beso” Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. This sweet version of the wine the pears are poached in extends the flavor package. Like the pear dish, it has beautiful acidity to cut the sugar.