Viva Bordeaux features recipes inspired by Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Venezuela.

Viva Bordeaux, a new online recipe guide created by the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (the Bordeaux Wine Council) and chef/TV personality Doreen Colondres, which showcases the natural and delicious union of Latin American cuisine and affordable Bordeaux wines launched today. Comprised of five recipes including Mini Arepas with Avocado and Ají Amarillo Tuna Tartare; Bife De Chorizo, Mangú Cilantro Gremolata and Sweet Plantain; Banana and Rum “Quesillo” with Goat Chesse Cream and Fresh Mint, the guide offers at-home cooks new techniques, ingredients and affordable Bordeaux wine pairings for preparing and enjoying classic Latin American dishes.

According to Colondres, her recipe for “Bife de Chorizo” features a flavorful Argentinian beef cut called New York Strip in the US and “Mangú” is a delicious plantain mash, typically from the Dominican Republic. It is great with an elegant Bordeaux, such as the 2009 La Bastide Dauzac from Margaux. The quesillo in the Viva Bordeaux recipe guide is creamier than traditional flan because regular fresh milk and milk powder is used instead of evaporated milk. That dish pairs to perfection with the Bordeaux region’s Sauternes because of the well-balanced acid on this Bordeaux wine and the saltiness and sweetness of the dessert.

“The Bordeaux wine region has a long rich culinary tradition that is marked by Basque and Spanish influences,” said Fabien Bova, managing director of the Bordeaux Wine Council. “Pairing Bordeaux wines with traditional Latin American dishes is literally a ‘palate made and wallet made match,’ as the region produces many affordable and accessible whites, reds and Sauternes.”

The recipes in the Viva Bordeaux Cookbook are inspired and paired with wines from the Today’s Bordeaux selection, an exemplar program of the versatile types of affordable Bordeaux consumers can find in the United States. The average price of these wines featured in the cookbook is $26 and they can be found throughout the greater United States.

Colondres said, “I am delighted to be working with The Bordeaux Wine Council and to furthering the understanding of how Bordeaux wines compliment the fresh, seasonal and healthy ingredients used in the Latin American dishes that I grew up with. The Viva Bordeaux Recipe Guide was designed to show at-home cooks how a few simple procedural and ingredient changes, accompanied with a Bordeaux wine pairing, can transform everyday dishes into elegant dining experiences.”