Fresh And Soft Cheeses
Fresh and soft cheeses love crisp whites, dry rosés, sparkling wines, dry aperitif wines, and light-bodied reds with low tannins. Wines with apple, berry, stone fruit, tropical, melon, or citrus flavors work best. Avoid big, tannic red wines like Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, and Bordeaux blends.
Cheeses: Ricotta, Mozzarella, Burrata, Chèvre, Feta, Halloumi, Brie, Camembert, Brillat-Savarin, Crottin, BûcheronPair with: Riesling , Gewürztraminer, Moscato, Champagne, Cava, Chablis, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, unoaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Provençal rosé, Beaujolais, Lambrusco, White Port, Fino sherry
The Serious Eats Cheese And Wine Pairing Cheat Sheet
It’s New Year’s Eve, and your guests are about to come tumbling in. You set out bowls of salty snacks and a grand platter of cheeses. There’s creamy white chèvre, a Stilton, some Brie, nutty aged Gruyère, tangy Vermont cheddar, and a splurge-worthy chunk of 4-year Gouda. With a flourish you top the platter with fruits and nuts just as the doorbell rings.
It’s time to start popping corks. There’s Champagne, of course, and let’s seewhat else? What wine goes best with all those cheeses?
The good news is that your guests will be thrilled no matter what you pour. The bad news is: it’s complicated. Pairing wine and cheese is harder than you’d think.
That’s because there isn’t just one kind of wine and one kind of cheese. Cheeses vary in moisture content, fat content, texture, flavor. Wines, too, vary in acidity, sweetness, body, and structure. Fortunately, a few basic guidelines will bring match-making success, and by midnight your cheese and wine will be arm and arm singing Auld Lang Syne.
Syrah/shiraz And Aged Cheese
Aged cheese has intense savory flavors. Wines that are paired with them need to be equally intense and should also be rather dry. Syrah holds up well in this pairing because it is dry, medium to full-bodied, and has dark fruit and herb flavors. A Shiraz with tobacco notes works particularly well with smoked cheeses.
Recommended Reading: Wood Pallet Wine Rack For Sale
Merlot And Garlic And Herb Cheese
The garlic and herb cheese has sharp and tangy flavors. When paired with the Merlot, which is a dry red wine that is medium to full-bodied, the cheese brings out notes of black cherry, plum, and black tea. The garlic and herb cheese flavors are more heavily emphasized because of the Merlots dry fruitiness.
A Few Final Cheese Pairing Considerations
Youre practically a pro at this point, but there are a few more things to consider when it comes to pairing wine and cheese. Before introducing the wine, try the cheese by itself to fully perceive its special characteristics. Remember to engage your senses and evaluate all aspects of the cheese its smell, texture, color, and taste. Is it sweet, sour, salty, bitter, or umami? How does it feel on the tongue?
Wine and cheese pairing is a skill that requires practice and study. But once you know the basics, you can have a lot of fun experimenting with what works .
You May Like: Where To Buy Troublemaker Wine
Perfect Wine & Food Pairings
Whether youre hosting an intimate dinner party or a large gathering with all of your friends, a meat and cheese board is the perfect party appetizer. Its easy to make, easy for guests to serve themselves, endlessly customizable, and not to mention, totally delicious. Want to make the best-ever board for your party? Weve got expert tips to help your meat and cheese spread come together perfectly.
All-in-One Gifts
A charcuterie spread is so versatileit can serve as a tasty party snack, hearty addition to a main course, or even as a light and flavorful meal on its own. But no matter how youre enjoying your favorite selection of meats and cheeses, one things for sure: a glass of wine can really take the flavors of your bites to the next level. But which wine should you choose? Our guide to wine pairings can help you pick the perfect pour based on your preferred flavor profile.
Bold
Not shy about full-bodied flavors? Then our Generosity Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is a great choice. This wine pairs nicely with our bolder-tasting meats, cheeses, and condiments because the cabernets full body really brings out the complexity of stronger flavors.
Also Check: What Wine Has The Lowest Calories
Sparkling Wines Pairing Guidelines
Sparkling wine is a fizzy wine with crispy bubbles which help the drink to create a light festive atmosphere. During the wine making process, the reaction between sugar and yeast gives alcohol and carbon dioxide. The resulting gas is kept to provide effervescence. The tradition claims that sparkling wines pair beautifully with fatty and creamy crème cheeses, when the wine acidity balances the dense texture of the cheese.
Cava Pairings
Spanish Cava is a fine refreshing sparkling wine with amply and bright scents of citrus and apples. It matches well with soft and creamy goat cheeses. This is a versatile beverage which enhances perfectly the flavors of meat, fish and pastas as well.
Champagne Pairings
Though being the most popular sparkling wine type worldwide, officially it is produced only in the Champagne region of France. This is a complex drink with a wide diversity of floral or fruity odors and tastes. Champagnes shine with Brie, Camembert and soft goat cheeses, as well as greatly accompany any meal.
Prosecco Pairings
This is a dry white sparkling wine originating from Italy. Proseccos differ in sweetness, but they all feature light citrus and floral flavors, and coarse bubbles. The beverage pairs with soft cheeses such as Fontina, Mozzarella, Ricotta, including the cheeses soaked in the Prosecco wine itself, like Ubriaco. With its cleansing fresh qualities this is a fine wine to have at the beginning of the party.
- Private Stock Caviar
- Caviar Gifts; and Samplers
Read Also: How To Make Glasses Out Of Wine Bottles
Cheese Pairings With Merlot
Merlot has become a popular table wine over the past few years. This deep-hued and full-bodied red wine is noted for its versatility in terms of flavor. The most appreciated Merlot flavors are cherry, plum, and chocolate.
Both sheeps milk cheese and cows milk cheese go equally well with Merlot. However, some of the cheese varieties worth trying with this red wine are Brie, Cheddar, Parmesan, the tangy Swiss Gruyere, and the Italian Gorgonzola.
Protip: Consider Age And Intensity
All of cheese-dom lies along a continuum from fresh through hard-aged. Young fresh cheeses have a high water content and a milky and delicate texture. As a cheese ages, a process called affinage, the moisture in its body slowly evaporates, leaving behind fat and protein. Since fat and protein carry flavors, older cheeses tend to be more rich and savory.
In addition to drying and concentrating the cheese, age also introduces new flavors. Bloomy-rind cheeses like Brie remain gooey and spreadable, but have picked up earthy notes from a few months in the cave. Older cheeses like Gruyère and Emmental acquire nutty flavors. Blue cheeses develop pungency from the mold in their veins. Washed-rind cheeses like Époisses earn a funky, bacon-y redolence that you either love or hate.
Like cheeses, wines also run the gamut from delicate to bold, and their depth and complexity can correlate with their age, too. Young wines are fresh and spirited, with lively aromas and bright flavors of fruits, flowers, citrus, herbs, or spice. Wines that have spent time in cask or bottle have had a chance to knit together and acquire more nuance. In addition to their primary fruit flavors, they take on secondary notes of oak, toast, earth, oxidation, minerals, umami, and more. Like cheeses, these wines tend to be more complex and savory than their younger counterparts.
Recommended Reading: How To Make Glasses Out Of Wine Bottles
Pinot Noir And Vermont Sharp Cheddar Or Gruyere
Vermont Sharp Cheddar is aged and needs to be paired with a wine that has earthy notes, such as Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is a dry and light to medium-bodied red wine that has these characteristics along with ripe red fruit flavors. It also works well with a nutty cheese with medium firmness, such as Gruyere.
Cabernet Sauvignon And Aged Cheddar
Why it works: A bigger, bolder cheese needs a wine that can lift it up, spin it around, and not get winded in the process. An aged Cheddar has a fattiness that matches up wonderfully with the mouth-drying tannins youll find in many Cabernet Sauvignons. Plus, their respectively bold flavors will match, instead of one drowning out the other.
Also try:Carménère and Smoked Gouda, Montepulciano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Nero dAvola and Asiago.
Don’t Miss: Reggae Red Wine Nutrition Facts
Red Wines Pairing Guidelines
Although it is believed that whites match different cheeses better than reds, nothing bans to experiment and pair the types of the world s best cheese with red wine, and find fabulous combinations.
Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Pairings
This is a full-bodied and rich-flavored red wine, rather assertive and tannic, with a fine blackberry tint. Cabernet Sauvignon food pairing includes meat dishes and mostly hard cheeses, such as Asiago, Cheddar, Manchego, Parmesan and Pecorino.
Malbec Wine Pairings
Malbec is a soft wine with a berry and rather spicy touch, though its flavor characteristics greatly depend on the region where it is produced. It pairs well with Asiago, Manchego, Mimolette and Taleggio.
Merlot Wine Pairings
Merlot is soft and fruity. It can be complemented successfully with pungent blue cheeses, Camembert, Gouda, Gruyere, and Pecorinos.
Pinot Noir Wine Pairings
Light and delicate, with a slight berry smack, this is one of the noblest and the most versatile wines. It is great with meat, poultry and vegetable dishes. Pinot Noir cheese pairing varies from Brie and Epoisses to Gouda and Gruyere.
Syrah/Shiraz Wine Pairings
Syrah or Shiraz, as it is called in Australia, is a spicy wine with a large diversity of berry, meaty and peppery flavors. It goes well with smoky and rather sharp cheeses, such as Edam, Gouda or St. Nectaire.
How To Match Wine And Cheese
And like a Bordeaux lover anxious to learn exactly from which château the wine he is drinking comes, true cheese enthusiasts demand to know which of the seven East Midland dairies licensed under the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin scheme has produced the Stilton they are eating. Both wine and cheese embody a place, a people and a sense of terroir.
But, as we reach for the oatcakes and pour another glass, there are some rules to remember: don’t assume only red wines can be drunk with cheese there are some wonderful matches with whites. Also, mature, strong cheeses generally work better with bigger, fuller wines and fresher, lighter-tasting cheeses with youthful wines. However, bear in mind that the wide variety of cheeses and cheesemakers particularly new artisan British cheeses mean one cheese may be very different from another, even if it is the same style or comes from the same area. And finally, don’t be afraid to experiment!
With that in mind, here are some recommendations:
You May Like: Make Glasses From Beer Bottles
Cheeses That Go With Wine:
Salty, hard cheeses pair well with wine, and so do soft cheeses. Again, an improptu wine and cheese party should be easy to prepare, so dont feel like you need to serve all of these.
- Gouda the perfect pairing with Cabernet
- Aged cheddar lovely with Malbec
- Manchego try this one with a sparkly wine. Also, this is a sheep milk based cheese.
- Ricotta goes well with Riesling
- Parmesan delicious with a bubbly Prosecco
- Gruyere a love fest with Chardonnay
- Brie goes well with many wines, but my favorite is Merlot
- Bleu cheese pairs well with a Pinot Noir or a sweet Port
- Feta a bright red or dry Rose, slightly sweet wine is perfect with salty feta
If youre looking for beautiful round block cheeses to fancy it up, I highly recommend Emmi Cheese!
VEGAN or DAIRY FREE OPTIONS Can we Say YAY for real food based vegan cheese?! Yes we can! These are my favorite vegan cheese to serve on cheese boards.
- Daiya Block Cheese
- Or if youre looking for a more cheddar like Vegan/Paleo cheese dip, try my vegan queso. You can definitely fancy it up to make it wine and cheese party worthy. .
Tip for BUILDING A;CHARCUTERIE or;CHEESE BOARD Focus on colors and combos. Ex: Orange and red . Greens and yellows . Throw it all together now and garnish with a herbs and flowers.
Need to gave this all organized for you?! I gotcha covered. Printable FESTIVE CHEESE BOARD RECIPE and INGREDIENTS BELOW! Yeaaas!
Keywords: cheese boards, appetizers, cheese and wine, healthy, holiday entertaining
Pairing Cheese With Syrah/shiraz
With certain superior genetic qualities, Syrah grape variety produces some of the best Rhone wines. Syrah red wines are known for their unique and dominant flavors like smoke, black cherries, and roasted pepper.
The strong berry and tart flavors of this red wine blend well with the somewhat acidic and pungent goats milk cheese. Farmhouse Cheddar, Edam, Gouda, and Alpine-style cheese are some other cheese varieties that enhance the flavor of Syrah wines.
Don’t Miss: Does Wine Have Sugar
Why You Should Always Pair Cheese With White Wine Not Red
When we think of a wine and cheese party we automatically think of red wine, but in fact white wine is actually a much better partner for many types of cheese. Read on to find out more about perfect cheese and wine pairings.;
Admittedly, for most people red wine is the go-to partner for cheese. However, the issue with red wine, especially a full-bodied red, is that it can overpower all but the most robust of cheeses. White wine, fortified wines and lighter red wines are often a much better match.
What about Port and Stilton?
You might rightly point out that Port is a red wine and has long been considered the ideal wine with Stilton, an English blue veined;cheese. The reason that Port pairs so well with blue cheese is because it is sweet and fortified. It is not because it is red. The sweetness provides a perfect foil for the tangy saltiness of blue cheese.
As an alternative to Port, try blue veined cheeses with other sweet wines such as Sauternes, Tokaji, Icewine as well as any German or Austrian late harvest wine.
Chardonnay with Creamy;Camembert;and Brie Style Cheeses
Champagne, Prosecco or any good quality New World sparkling wine are other great options with Creamy cheese.
Sauvignon Blanc and Goat Cheese
Chenin Blanc, dry Riesling or Semillon are other good alternatives to Sauvignon Blanc with goat cheese.
Gewürztraminer;with Stinky Cheese
Red Wines with Strong, Firm Cheese
Madeira and Sheep Cheese
Wine and Cheese:;Perfection vs. Practicality
View The Full Size Cheese And Wine Matching Infographic
Try: Comté, Emmental, Grana Padano, Gruyère, Lincolnshire Poacher, Manchego , Montgomerys Cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino
Go for a rich, dry white wine or a light to medium-bodied red wine, as their tannins and weight will work well with the structure of the cheese, says Basset.
For the easiest cheese match with your wine, look for one that is relatively young and relatively hard not too much strength or age.
Also Check: How To Cut Beer Bottles Into Glasses
Cheese Board For Wine Tasting
Making a cheese board for wine tasting? Follow this simple, down-to-earth guide to start pairing cheese, charcuterie and other snacks with wine!
Ive made a lot of cheese boards for you guys. I know! I just love them so much. Styling them and photographing them, and eating them, of course.
But Ill never make the same cheese board twice. Im always looking for new and fun goodies to add to my boards, and new ways to pair the ingredients with beverages.
Vintage Port And Stilton
The older the port is, the sweeter it is because the tannins have become soft over time and the acidity has decreased. Because of this, blue cheeses work well with it. The older the vintage port is, the stronger and smellier the blue cheese can be.
With these tips, you should be able to make cheese and wine pairing less complicated and more enjoyable. You can enjoy numerous combinations and experiment with this guide as a starting reference point.
Filed Under: Tasting Guides, Wine InfoTagged With: cheese, list, wine, wine pairings
About Our Team
Erin is a native Austinite that loves writing, wikipedia, online window-shopping for home goods, and riding on airplanes. When not writing articles at work, you can probably find her winding down with a glass of wine, a book, and her two favorite neurotic cats.
Don’t Miss: Where Is Stella Rosa Made
What To Know When Pairing Wine And Cheese
- Pairing wines and cheeses from the same region is a good, safe place to start wine and cheese combinations. For example, a good Italian Chianti and a potent Parmesan will provide a fascinating mix.
- Remember that the harder types of cheese can handle more tannic wines. While creamy cheeses, such as Brie, typically pair better with wines that have more acidity, like a Chardonnay. Give salty cheeses a sweet wine partner .
Ten Popular Wines And Types Of Cheese To Pair Them With
- Rioja; pairs well with;Manchego;and other types of;sheep cheese
- Port; goes with;blue cheeses, such as stilton
- Rhône and other reds from southern France; these are proper all-rounders when you have a cheeseboard of;French cheeses
- Chardonnay; pair this with;buttery cheddar
- Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and blends of Bordeaux; these pair well with varieties of;hard cheeses, such as Gouda or cheddar
- Pinot Grigio; this pairs well with any type of;mild cheese from Italy. You will enjoy this combination most with a platter of antipasti
- Chianti;;pecorino;and;parmigiano;are some of the cheeses you can have with this wine
- Champagne and other types of sparkling wine; these can be had with;Chaource;or;Vacherin Mont dOr
- Sauvignon Blanc; pair this with;feta;or;goat cheese. You could also use cheese with herbs and garlic
- Pinot Noir; this can be paired with;Camembert;and;Brie.
Get to know Best Grapes for Making Wine to get more knowledge on the kinds of flavors youre going to be tasting with these cheese pairings
Also Check: Stella Rosa New Flavors 2021
