Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond

Review Quotes:

"Wine Pairing for the People is the new essential text for any wine lover and sommelier. Cha McCoy has made it her life's work to bring more seats to the table, and here, she goes a step further by creating her own table and filling it with gripping origin stories and conversations, iconic dishes, and of course . . . great wine." - Victoria James, sommelier, author of Wine Girl, and partner at Cote and Coqodaq

"Cha McCoy's enthusiasm is beautifully contagious, and her new book brings needed oxygen and expanded boundaries to the status quo of the food-and-wine pairing." - Alice Feiring, author of To Fall in Love, Drink This: A Wine Writer's Memoir

"Cha McCoy bridges continents and communities through wine. Her passion flows into every pairing suggestion, embracing spices and sweetness alike. This book encourages us all to embrace diversity at the dinner table--with a toast to unity and understanding." - André Hueston Mack, host of the #1 YouTube channel for wine tasting and sommelier-at-large

"Cha McCoy's Wine Pairing for the People is a game changer--breaking barriers, challenging traditions, and making wine pairing accessible to all. Her expertise and passion shine throughout the book, inviting everyone to the table to sip, savor, and celebrate." - Marcus Samuelsson, award-winning chef and author

"Cha McCoy brilliantly turns the traditional wine curriculum on its head. In addition to sharing long-overdue thinking about wine pairing for non-European cuisines, this beautiful book has great recipes. Ever the educator and traveler, McCoy also shares captivating stories about her journeys worldwide, exploring wine and the cultures of numerous countries. Wine and (spicy) food lovers rejoice!" - Klancy Miller, author of For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food

57^th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK - INSTRUCTIONAL NOMINEE
SAVEUR THOUGHTFUL GIFTS FOR WINE AND SPIRITS LOVERS
NEW YORK TIMES MOST INTERESTING WINE BOOKS OF 2025

A first-of-its-kind guide to pairing wine with foods from Africa and beyond, including a tour of wine regions across the globe and a foreword by Stephen Satterfield, from renowned Certified Sommelier Cha McCoy.

The wine world often says food and wine that grow together, go together, and that spicy, tangy, salty, and sweet flavors are a challenge to pair. But what about foods from regions where wine grapes aren't prevalent? What about global cuisines--many of which are outside of Europe--that celebrate heat and tang? Don't these traditional foods deserve the perfect wine pairing? Cha McCoy, Certified Sommelier and owner of The Communion wine boutique, knows that good foods and wines go together and that the cuisines of Africa, Asia, and the Americas are just as worthy of great pours.

In this first-of-its-kind guidebook, Cha McCoy pairs wines with foods from Africa, Asia, and beyond, blending practical information with a side of aspirational armchair travel. Cha shares her journey of learning and connecting with deep culinary traditions and regional cuisines around the world, diving in by continent and then by region or country, from Africa to the Caribbean, from Latin America to the United States of America, and Asia, and exploring their winemaking regions.

Throughout, you'll see pairing lists and menus to easily find wines to savor with whatever food you're craving, whether it's Moroccan Tagine, Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Mexican Elote, Shrimp Po' Boy, Peach Cobbler, or Pad Thai. Plus, you'll find 25 recipes for global fare from renowned chefs and mixologists that represent the heritage of each destination, with food accompanied by suggested wine pairing, to complete the meal.

Whether you're curious about what to eat on your next trip abroad, want to try out a local restaurant, or are looking to explore a new cuisine to cook at home, Wine Pairing for the People will not only guide you on what to eat but how to best highlight the flavor of your meals with successful pairings. Complete with a foreword by Stephen Satterfield, and stunning photographs, maps, and illustrations throughout, this groundbreaking book boldly declares: Wine is for everyone.

Contributor Bio:McCoy, Cha

CHA McCOY, MBA, is an entrepreneur, educator, and event producer. As a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, she developed The Communion, a wine dinner series that offers an inviting, accessible approach to gathering and enjoying wine. This experience inspired her to open her first brick-and-mortar store, The Communion Wine & Spirits. The dinner series was profiled in Food & Wine, and Cha was named one of Wine Enthusiast's 40 Under 40. Cha has held coveted positions, such as Cherry Bombe's first beverage director, the head of beverage for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and a sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Portugal. Passionate about education, she spends her spare time mentoring and teaching at her alma mater, Syracuse University, where she served as an adjunct professor, educating and inspiring new wine drinkers. You can find Cha in Harlem, New York--or on one of her international adventures.