No One Was Asking For A Wine & Chalupa Pairing, But Taco Bell Made Jalapeño Noir Anyway
by Rudy Sanchez on 09/15/2020 | 2 Minute Read
As Kelloggs showed us recently, wine and food pairings need not be limited to haute cuisine. Cheez-It crackers aren’t the only junk food meriting a wine cohort according to the folks at Taco Bell, as its Canadian branch unveiled a new, bespoke wine that they say perfectly complements its new Toasted Cheesy Chalupa, calling it Jalapeño Noir.
The wine comes from the Queenston Mile Vineyard in Ontario, and they described it as having “notes of wild strawberry, cherry, and beetroot.” The label is an unfussy affair, with a muted color palette featuring the brand’s bell logo and what is presumably a chalupa.
"Wine and cheese are simply meant to be together, so launching a new wine to go with the crave-able, cheddary Toasted Cheesy Chalupa made perfect sense," said Kat Garcia, director of brand marketing at Taco Bell Canada, in a press release.
Taco Bell is no stranger to the likes of booze, as they introduced their Big City Bell Pilsner as well as Beach Bell, a Mexican-style lager that you can only get from Taco Bell Cantina.
Jalapeño Noir comes as Taco Bell fans in the US are finding “Living Mas” is starting to mean having “menos” of their favorite menu items, as the home division of the brand has been streamlining their menu over the last few months, 86ing classics like the Mexican Pizza and items with ingredients such as Fiesta Potatoes, Fritos chips, and pico de gallo.
Unfortunately, already disappointed US fans of the chain are about to find their Baja Blast getting salty with their bitter tears upon hearing that Jalapeño Noir will only be available in Canada starting September 16th on their website and select locations in Toronto and Hamilton for CAD $25. There’s also no sense making a run for the border to buy a bottle either, as entry to North America’s Hat is still restricted to essential travel.