He Said, She Said: Cinco de Mayo

Often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day (that’s Sept. 16), Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla between the victorious ragtag army of largely Mexican Indian soldiers against the invading French forces of Napoleon III. Mexican Americans, during the Chicano Movement of the 1970s, adopted the holiday for its David vs. Goliath storyline as motivation for civil rights struggles in Texas and California.

Over the years, the holiday has been adopted by beer companies as a way to penetrate the growing Latino market, even as the historical origins of the holiday remain largely forgotten.

What will you be drinking on Cinco de Mayo/Derby Day?

He said:

Negra Modelo: The nose exhibits a chocolately appeal with a sweet maltiness in flavor that leads to a bitter cocoa finish. Yes, even beer drinkers can talk like you wine snobs! This one is going to go down nicely with my fish tacos!

She said:

Although Mint Juleps would certainly be appropriate for this doubly special day, I’ll be reaching for a soft, juicy Zinfandel with massive fruit flavors which promises to be sensational with earthy red chile adobo sauces!

Olé

Contributed by Denise Rossetti Vendley, a marketing diva for Rossetti Marketing,  South Willamette Wineries Association and Wine Events Oregon.