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.