VinoDuo now pens two monthly columns for The Waltham Times, one on wine, the other on food. Double the pleasure, double the fun! Here are the latest articles, including our inaugural Taco Crawl food article.
JULY 2, 2026
Think Mexican Food Doesn’t Pair with Wine? Think Again!
If you love Mexican food, you probably have a go-to beverage to complement the cuisine’s bold and rich flavors. Tequila, of course, is a classic pairing. Same with mezcal. Beer too.
But wine? Absolutely! Mexico has been producing wine since the 1520s, when homesick conquistadors planted vineyards across Central and South America with cuttings from Spanish vines. If you haven’t tried pairing a Mexican wine with your favorite taco de pescado or carne asada, you don’t know what you’re missing.
They’re typically bold, fruit-forward and food-friendly, with enough acidity to complement your meal. Clearly when it comes to Mexican wine and food, if it grows together, it goes together.
We’ve long been acquainted with Mexican wines from the Valle de Guadalupe region in Baja California. But on a recent trip to Waltham’s Painted Burro, we sampled several wines from the Querétaro region, located just north of Mexico City. With a terroir markedly different from Baja (lush, high altitude vs. rustic, desert) the Querétaro wines at Painted Burro offered their own unique flavor profiles.
Our two favorite wines were:
● Viña Doña Dolores Chardonnay (non-vintage). A dry chardonnay with a hint of apricot and grapefruit on the nose and lemon peel tartness on the palate. The wine’s acidity paired perfectly with the spicy Gulf shrimp diablo tacos.
● Viña Doña Dolores Cuatro Regiones 2019 Red Blend (cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo, merlot, malbec, syrah and marselan). Dark garnet in the glass with lovely tobacco/black fruit notes on the nose and a perfect harmony of black cherry and baking spices fruits on the palate. This thoughtful red blend was a great match with the cilantro grilled chicken tacos.
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AUGUST 6, 2026
A Great Alternative to Pinot Grigio: Try Marramiero Pecorino d’Abruzzo
When you hear the word “Pecorino,” you likely think of Pecorino Romano, that tangy hard cheese perfect for grating over fettuccini carbonara. But when you hear about a delicious Pecorino d’Abruzzo, we hope you’ll think of the zingy white wine from the Abruzzo region that is perfect for pairing with classic Italian cuisine—and a better match than pinot grigio. We discovered Pecorino d’Abruzzo a few years ago and were delighted to find it on the menu at Pizzeria Enzina, one of Waltham’s top Italian restaurants.
If you’ve never tasted Pecorino d’Abruzzo, you’re not alone. The grape languished in obscurity for much of the 20th century until some producers revived it in the 1980s. Ranging in color from the palest yellow to deep gold, Pecorino d’Abruzzo wines are typically dry and aromatic, with lots of citrus and limestone on the nose and peaches and pears on the palate.
Enzina serves the 2021 Marramiero Pecorino d’Abruzzo at a very reasonable $14 a glass. Crisp and bone dry, the wine balances its citrus and stone fruit flavors with a tiny hint of cream on the long finish. It stood up beautifully to the spaghetti with garlic confit and paired well with the tagliatelle bolognese. Enzina’s house-made pastas are every bit as good as their celebrated pizza, especially the bolognese, which is VinoDuo’s benchmark for a great Italian restaurant.
Experimenting with a new wine can be daunting. But if pinot grigio is your go-to for an Italian white, we heartily recommend taking a chance on Pecorino d’Abruzzo. Its bright flavors and refreshing minerality are the ideal complement to your next Italian meal.
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SEPTEMBER 10, 2026
Say ‘Si’ to Spanish Wines at Solea
We have been fans of the Spanish eatery Solea since it opened in 2001, when tapas was still an exotic food trend and sharing small plates was an adventure in dining. Fast-forward a quarter-century and patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo are now part of the foodie lexicon. Tapas bars have sprouted all over Greater Boston, but OG Solea has stayed vital, with an innovative young chef, Viviana Acevedo, a shorter, more adventurous menu, and an inventive wine list that travels across Spain to Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina.
If your first instinct when ordering tapas is to say, “I’ll have the Sangria,” Solea offers a slew of interesting alternatives. On a recent visit, we sampled some new menu items, washed down with a couple of glasses of Spanish wine: a dry white blend from the Penedès region in Catalonia and a vibrant Garnacha from the Sierras de Málaga in Andalusia.
If you prefer white wine, the Huguet de Can Feixes Penedes Blanc ($14) is a blend of native Catalan grapes and a little Chardonnay. A flowery nose is followed by flavors of green apple and pear, with a hint of limestone. The acidity stood up well to the coli flor — crispy cauliflower with sweet mojo rojo scallions — and the zanahorias glaseadas, an outrageously delicious glazed carrot dish with goat cheese crema and toasted almonds.
If red is what you fancy, Jorge Ordóñez’ Málaga’s Botani Garnacha ($12) had alluring aromas of black fruit jam and mocha, complemented by black cherry/blackberry flavors on the palate. We loved it with a warm corn soup and the arroz mar y tierra (short ribs and shrimp with onions, pepper and rice).
If your packed schedule doesn’t permit a trip to Spain, Solea can still transport you to that sun-drenched nation.
OCTOBER 1, 2026
The restaurants on Waltham’s South Side cater to all tastes and budgets. With the cost of a Big Mac approaching $6 and a turkey sandwich hitting $14, we wondered where we could find a delicious lunch in Waltham for under ten bucks. Our first thought was … tacos!
We’re blessed with a host of taquerias on the South Side, some brand new, others here for decades. For this inaugural Waltham Eats column, we conducted a very unscientific taco crawl, dropping in on four restaurants and sampling everything from carne asada to birria, shrimp and tongue. The vibe, service and food quality varied wildly but they had one thing in common — you can get two tacos for $10 at every one of them.
Above, from left; Monarca, Tita’s, and Trencito Tacos
Monarca Taqueria 663 Main St. Tacos: $4.25
Monarca is the newest entry on the Waltham taco scene, taking over the long-vacant Gustazo space in 2026. Run by veteran restaurateurs Ramiro and Raquel Marin, Monarca has a clean, colorful vibe with a small bar and ample tables. Quick service is the theme here; just seven minutes from order to delivery. We tried three tacos: shrimp, tongue and beef.Taco Verdict: Our taco team loved the shrimp, which was piled with tender shrimp and fresh cilantro and accompanied by a side of mango salsa. Extra credit for the house-made pico de gallo, which was pureed, smoky and slightly picante.
Taqueria El Amigo 196 Willow St. Tacos: $3.75 to $4.95
Taqueria El Amigo went viral when it hit Yelp’s “Top Places to Eat” in 2023. Foodies made a pilgrimage to this tiny spot, patiently waiting in line for the Timoteo brothers’ tacos, nachos and burritos. The lines are gone, but this mostly takeout restaurant is still buzzing. We ordered chicken and birria tacos. Service was quick and cordial, and our tacos were still warm when we arrived home.Taco Verdict: The outstanding chicken taco is made with pulled white-meat chicken, smothered in a smoky red sauce with lots of fresh onions and cilantro. A sizable taco shell kept all the ingredients in place!
Tita’s Kitchen 198 High St. Tacos: $4.50
Tita’s is that hole-in-the-wall joint you’ve been searching for. Bare-bones and colorful, you feel like you are literally standing in Tita’s kitchen, with a few tables and a small menu of mostly Central American fare. They were out of the fish and shrimp tacos during our visit so we ordered the chicken and carne asada.Taco Verdict: The winner was the carne asada with plenty of grilled, marinated beef chunks topped with red onion and cilantro and garnished with lime. The accompanying hot pepper sauce was exceptional.
Trencito 3 Carter St. Tacos: $3.50 to $5.00
This slightly scruffy diner/deli/taqueria opened in 2025, replacing the beloved Tap-Tap. It was too cold to sit on the patio, so we ate at the counter. Unfortunately, it was cold indoors, too — the AC was blasting — so we ordered and ate quickly. Fortunately, the food quality made up for the chilly environment.Taco Verdict: Of the fish, chorizo and shrimp tacos, the crustacean was the standout. Three whole shrimp, perfectly cooked, smoky and softly spiced. Kudos for the delicious, house-made pico de gallo.You can plan a taco crawl too. There are plenty of other places to try — Margarita’s, Juanita’s Kitchen, Taqueria Mexico, Antojitos and Amuleto, to name a few — and we’d love to hear about your experiences! Please use the comments section for feedback. Cheers!
