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Pot Luck

Odd Pair: Tater Tots and Palacio de Bornos Verdejo 2008

Whether it's caused by a bad day at work, a hangover or a break-up, we all have them - an insatiable craving for greasy, drive-thru tator tots. Resistance is futile. You might as well just turn your car in the direction of the nearest Sonic. (We will work out on the treadmill a little longer tomorrow.)

While a Diet Coke will do the trick, sometimes you want something a little stiffer to wash down those crispy potato bites. We went on a quest to find the perfect go-to wine for a late-night grease attack. Just because you're eating fast food doesn't mean you need to drink bad wine.

Our wine gurus at Specs suggested the Palacio de Bornos Verdejo 2008, recommending this Spanish white from the Rueda region for its nice fruit and good acidity. "The Spanish have a lot of potatoes in their cuisine. This white wine will cut through the starch of the potatoes." Sounded like a winner to us.

We're new to Spanish whites, but we were pleasantly surprised by this crisp and refreshing wine. It looks like water in the glass, but don't be fooled. It packs a nice, full-bodied punch. The grapefruit and citrus flavors easily cut through the grease and starch of the tater tots like a hot knife through butter. And the tater tots even brought out the fruit in the wine. This is probably the first time you've heard of fast food enhancing the flavor of wine. Trust us, it did.

Barely a glass of wine later, the tator tots were gone, making us wish we'd ordered the bigger size. This Spanish wine would also be great for a summer barbeque wine or a weeknight indulgence with salad. At about $13 a pop, we will probably keep a couple bottles in our fridge for those wine-cures-all moments.

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Jane Catherine Collins