LUIS FELIPE EDWARDS 2008 GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON CHILE $ 18.99

Mike: This is a typical Chilean Cab, with notes of graphite, current, and tomato leaf, and a nuance of green pepper. This plays off the meal— the green notes disappear, the weight is wonderful, and the tannins turn silky.

Tina: The high alcohol content of the wine really changes with each part of this meal. When I tasted it with the salad, all the flavours melded; when I tasted it with the spicy pebre, suddenly, there was a stronger alcohol flavour in the wine.

Gary: This Cab has slightly grippy tannins, but it’ s polished overall, with green pepper and ripe fruit qualities. All of a sudden, red wine brings the meat into play. The salad changes the structure of the wine— it is lighter. Aside from the spicy pebre, this pairs well with the rest of the meal.

CASA SILVA 2006 LOS LINGUES GRAN RESERVA CARMÉNÈRE CHILE $ 18.99

Mike: For the price, this is one of the most stunning Carménères in the world. The paprika in this dish stands out with this pairing, as does the pastry. The meat, egg and raisins in the filling are a great pairing, but the heat of the pebre cuts off the wine’ s finish.

Tina: This is a very velvety, very big wine. It looks like blueberry jelly— like you could cut right through it. The wine is a little too soft, though the oregano in the salad brings out the herbaceous notes, making a really nice match.

Gary: This is youthful, but with a nice complexity. It is spicy and herbaceous, ripe with a nuance of caper. I think the ripe fruit of the wine holds together with the spice, but the empanada makes the wine taste harder, and leaves a short finish.

CASA SILVA 2009 SAUVIGNON GRIS CHILE, $ 19.99

Mike: This has a grassy character with notes of melon and rock fruit. This is the best pairing with the cilantro in this dish. The wine is behind the spice, not cutting through it. The avocado puree really lets the wine sing, and paired alone with the salad— holy smokes!

Tina: This lighter-weight wine would pair well with salads. I thought it would disappear with the spice, but it doesn’ t— it works amazingly well with it. It also pairs beautifully with the lime in the salad.

Gary: This wine is delicate and nuanced. It would be great as an aperitif. It is young and needs to open up, but there are flavours of lime, green pear skin, and it has lots of minerality. The avocado brings out the savoury quality of the wine and it’ s brilliant with the cilantro and lime.

VENTISQUERO 2005 PANGEA SYRAH CHILE $ 69.99

Mike: This Syrah jumps out of the glass and the palate is silky right away. The caramelized onions in the empanada really smooth out the wine, but the spice and cilantro flatten the wine.

Tina: There are notes of cinnamon and eucalyptus, an effect of the aromatic trees that grow near the vineyards in the region. The wine works well with the avocado and empanada. There are elements of the meal that work perfectly with the wine.

Gary: This is the most aromatic, with an enormous nose. There are notes of vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, with underlying blackberry. A mocha quality comes through. With the meal, I agree— the avocado and empanada bring out the complexity in the wine, and the caramelized onions bring out caramel notes, but the sweet vanilla fruit clashes with the salad.