Brazilian food is not a single cuisine. It is a collection of regional traditions, each with its own dominant flavours, textures, and levels of heat. Pairing wine with it requires the same approach you would take with any complex cuisine: start with the dominant flavour, not the protein.
Start with acidity, not weight ¶
The most common mistake when pairing wine with Brazilian food is reaching for a heavy red because the dish contains meat. A duck breast with jabuticaba sauce has a lot of acidity from the fruit. A light Pinot Noir or a Gamay will work better than a Cabernet Sauvignon, because the wine's acidity can match the sauce rather than fighting it. The same principle applies to dishes built around tucupi or lime: look for wines with enough acidity to keep up.
Brazilian wines are worth taking seriously ¶
The Serra Gaucha in Rio Grande do Sul has been producing wine since Italian immigrants arrived in the late nineteenth century. The quality has improved significantly in the last fifteen years, particularly for Riesling, Chardonnay, and lighter reds. At Chanterelle Plus, roughly a third of the wine list is Brazilian, and several of those bottles are among the most interesting pours we offer. A natural Riesling from Vinhos Serranos, for example, has the kind of mineral quality that works beautifully with fish and seafood.
When in doubt, go orange ¶
Skin-contact wines, sometimes called orange wines, have enough tannin to handle the fat in richer dishes and enough freshness to work with acidic sauces. They are also genuinely interesting to drink. We have a small but carefully chosen selection of skin-contact wines from Brazil, Argentina, and Portugal. If you are unsure what to order, asking for a skin-contact recommendation is rarely a bad idea.
Non-alcoholic pairings are not a consolation prize ¶
The non-alcoholic pairing at Chanterelle Plus is made in-house from fermented juices, cold infusions, and a couple of ingredients that are not available anywhere else. It took six months to develop and it is designed to work with the food in the same way the wine pairing does. If you do not drink alcohol, or if you are driving, it is worth trying rather than defaulting to sparkling water.
Rodrigo Alves is at the restaurant most evenings and is happy to talk through the wine list before you order. If you have a specific bottle in mind, call ahead and we can check availability.