Wine and food pairing has always been very Eurocentric. If Pinot Noir is perfect with boeuf Bourguignon and Chianti with Fiorentina steak, this is due to the fact that, historically, wine production and consumption were restricted to Old World countries. Therefore, it was only natural that the drink would be associated with typical dishes in those latitudes. Today, as wine production has strengthened on other continents, the possibilities for harmonization have also expanded. And the questions began to arise: what is the best wine to accompany a feijoada? And a moqueca? Does chicken go well with red or white? Does Acarajé only go well with cold beer or will a sparkling wine work well? And if anyone might turn up their nose because drinking sparkling wine with acarajé seems to be unnecessary, they are wrong. Firstly, because you are limiting your own enogastronomic experience and are stopping yourself from trying new flavors; and second, because Brazil has now established itself as one of the main countries producing excellent sparkling wines. In other words, sparkling wine is as Brazilian as acarajé. Pairing wines with Brazilian dishes is a fun exercise because our cuisine is very diverse — it ranges from intense, fatty flavors to light, fresh dishes. The general idea is to balance weight, acidity, fat and flavor intensity. See below combinations that work very well: Sparkling Feijoada Iribarrem Blanc de Blanc Nature is produced using the traditional method in Serra Gaúcha. Disclosure. The ideal wines are dry or extra brut sparkling wines, as the fat and salt in feijoada require wines that “cleanse” the palate. For this, nothing better than bubbles and high acidity. Avoid very heavy or alcoholic labels. The Argentine sparkling wine Norton 101 Bubbles Extra Brut is produced with the Austrian grape Grüner Veltliner and extra dry. It presents fresh aromas reminiscent of white fruits, as well as citrus and tropical notes. Another excellent option is the Brazilian sparkling wine Iribarrem Blanc de Blanc Nature, produced using the champenoise method (the same as Champagne) with 18 months of sur lie maturation in the bottle. It is a dry, elegant sparkling wine, with good structure and a persistent finish, whose production is limited to just 1,000 bottles. Barbecue Montes Toscanini Created in Roble Tannat is a Uruguayan red perfect with roasted and grilled meats. Disclosure. Grilled meats require full-bodied red wines, generally with at least 12 months of aging in barrels. Some grapes that lend themselves well to this aging and that go well with meat are Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Sangiovese and Tempranillo. These varieties have strong tannins that help balance the fat in the meat. You can opt for Montes Toscanini Criado en Roble Tannat, a complex and elegant Uruguayan red that matured for 15 months in French oak barrels. If you like Cabernet Sauvignon, an excellent value for money label is Tabali Pedregoso Gran Reserva, a Chilean wine aged for 10 months in oak and which stands out for its silky tannins and great structure. Sangiovese is Tuscany's iconic red grape, used to make Chianti wines, as well as the famous Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino. A high-end label with good value for money is Rosso di Montalcino Camigliano, perfect for enhancing the juiciness of the meat. The best Tempranillo in Spain comes from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Try Petit Vega 28 months, a powerful and tasty Spanish wine that ages for 28 months in French oak barrels and spends a further 18 months in the bottle before being sold. Moqueca (Bahian or Espírito Santo) Talinay Sauvignon Blanc is a Chilean white of great elegance and complexity. Disclosure. The best wines are aromatic whites and light reds, with outstanding acidity, as this characteristic helps to break down the fat in palm oil and coconut milk, without fighting with the fish. Bet on Sauvignon Blanc from Chile such as Tabali Talinay Sauvignon Blanc, which is a high-end, complex and elegant wine from the prestigious Limarí Valley; or in young and fresh Pinot Noir, such as the Argentine Norton Select Pinot Noir, which has beautiful aromas of red fruits and delicious acidity. With moqueca, sparkling white and rosé wines are real wildcards. The refreshment and bubbles cleanse the mouth after each bite. Choose fuller-bodied labels, such as sparkling wines made using the traditional method, the same as Champagne. Cava Don Román Brut is a dry Spanish sparkling wine with excellent value for money, fresh, balanced and with good persistence. Cheese bread and other savory snacks Belvino Grillo is a tasty and fresh Italian sparkling wine, perfect with snacks. Disclosure. Cheese-based snacks and fried snacks are perfect with very refreshing Brut sparkling wines. Choose labels produced using the Charmat method, which are very aromatic and easy to drink. Try the Italian sparkling wine Belvino Grillo Brut, produced with the Grillo white grape in the Sicily region, in the south of the country, or Veuve du Vernay Brut, a French sparkling wine that has beautiful fruit aromas, such as peach and pineapple. Galinhada Basco Loco Merlot is a fruity and tasty red from Serra Gaúcha. Disclosure. The ideal wines are medium-bodied whites, for example, those produced with Chardonnay, Viognier or Alvarinho grapes, and light reds, such as those made with Pinot Noir and Merlot. A tip of white is Criado en Roble Albariño, Uruguayan signed by the award-winning Montes Toscanini winery: this label undergoes 6 months of maturation in American oak barrels sur lie, with frequent bâtonnage – which increases its complexity of aromas and flavors. Another perfect white is the Carolina Reserva Chardonnay, which ferments partially in old barrels and then matures for 6 months in French oak, to gain body and complexity. How about pairing a Brazilian dish with national wine? The Basque Loco Merlot is a beautiful ti label