There are many versions of Portuguese chourizo: the regional variations are mind-boggling and perhaps only readily recognised in the village they're made. Many recipes call for the air-cured sausage as a flavouring, used in much the same way as salt and pepper. It can add another dimension to soups and stews, but the Iberian way to appreciate chourizo is to eat it with crusty bread, simply sliced, grilled over hot coals or cooked by flaming it with alcohol. When grilled or flamed the flavour intensifies, the exterior gets crisp and the heat also changes the taste of the fat in the sausage. It can be quite a robust experience and the best wine to pair with flamed chourizo needs to have flavour and style definition. Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2006, Marlborough, New Zealand This pinot noir is the most delicate of wines that can be paired with flamed chorizo but the bright and fruity Marlborough style makes it work. The bright red pinot fruit sets a good platform against the deep, robust and extremely savoury chourizo flavours. The wine gives an almost cleansing quality. The soft tannins and directed acidity also gives the pairing backbone. Available for HK$380 from Moet Hennessy Diageo (tel: 2976 1888) Quinta da Garrida Dao Reserva Touriga Nacional 2003, Dao, Portugal Portuguese readers will no doubt be horrified at the thought of matching this Dao wine and just any old chourizo because, as mentioned, the regional variations can be very wide. This Touriga Nacional is just delicious - full bodied and made in a completely contemporary mould. It's dense, dark, rich and savoury with a good kick of perfectly ripe tannins. It's the perfect match with grilled or flamed chourizos. Available for HK$230 from Cosmowine Limited (tel: 2206 0333) Terrazas Afincado Malbec 2005, Mendoza, Argentina The Portuguese Touriga is rich and robust but this wine is rich and stylish. This malbec comes from one of many terraced Argentine vineyards high up on the slopes of the Andes. The high altitude and terraced vineyards provide the grapes with ideal conditions for a long, cool growing season, giving the wine a rich taste. It's the perfect match with grilled or flamed chourizo. The rich fruit and French oak work well with the chourizo's deep flavour and the flamed notes melt seamlessly into the wine and vice versa, giving the combination a good finish. Available for HK$380 from Moet Hennessy Diageo (tel: 2976 1888)