10 popular wines and the cheeses to pair with them
A slightly sweet white wine will often work well, but make sure it's not too sweet and try to find one with a nice acidity to cut through the richness of the cheese. Sweet wines go well with most cheeses, and below are some safe choices: German Riesling, such as Feinherb, Spätlese or Auslese.
Pinot Noir Pinots are generally slightly higher in tannins and fruitier compared to a Beaujolais making it a versatile wine that goes well with variety of your favorite cheeses. Must-try Pinot Noir and Cheese Pairings: Cheddar. Parmesan.
1:032:53How to eat charcuterie (and feel super fancy) - Edible Education - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAdd some bread and you're ready to go. But charcuterie always tastes better with a good drink theMoreAdd some bread and you're ready to go. But charcuterie always tastes better with a good drink the career boards Hathi paired wines.
Fresh Cheese Wine Pairings Typically made with cow, goat, or sheep milk, this fun cheese makes for an excellent addition to any charcuterie board. We recommend pairing Feta, Burrata, or Goat cheese with whites such as Sauvignon Blanc or a young Chardonnay and fruity reds like Pinot Noir or Gamay.
Perfect Wine & Cheese PairingsHard Cheeses: Parmigiano Reggiano Pecorino Aged ManchegoPairs well with: Cabernet Savignon Zinfandel Pinot NoirSemi-Hard Cheeses: Cheddar Gouda Baby SwissPairs well with: Pinot Noir Pinot Gris Sauvignon Blanc10 more rows
Of course, you'll need wine and cheese, but there are also a few other items that help create the perfect party including:A corkscrew.A cheese slicer.A cheeseboard or serving platter.Wine glasses.Small plates.
As it turns out, cheese — which is customarily high in fat — coats the mouth and blocks taste receptors to beverages. The acidity and sweetness of a well-paired wine cut through this creamy barrier to unlock a fuller flavor on the palate and create an excellent mouthfeel.
White wine is close to the perfect match for cheese – and generally far better than red wine. The freshness of the white wine, the perfumed notes and the combination of sweetness and acidity suit many cheeses.
Charcuterie and cheese board pairing ideas Riesling, sparkling wine and rose pair well with the saltiness of fresh cheeses like cream cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, feta and mascarpone. Mild meats like Prosciutto, summer sausage, salami or Mortadella also go well with these light-bodied red or white wines.
Crisp white wines like Pinto Grigio, Riesling, Prosecco, and Rosé, as well as lighter red wines like Barbera, Lambrusco, and Beaujolais, pair best with Charcuterie.
Champagne and sparkling wine are so often considered the best wine pairing with charcuterie due to high acidity, lower alcohol and their affinity for salty dishes.
The one good thing about Pinot Noir is that it goes with almost every charcuterie spread. The mellow tannins that make it a light-to-medium weight wine compliment a fatty pâté impeccably. It's the pure, fruity flavour, the juicy acidity, and silk like tannins that make it the perfect companion to pâté.
Light Red Wine and Cheese Light red wines like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais match up nicely with delicately flavored, washed-rind cheeses and nutty, medium-firm cheeses. Gruyere is a great example of nutty cheese, and Taleggio is a semi-soft, washed-rind cheese that is not overly intense.
Cheddar CheeseCheddar Cheese It will help bring out some of the citrus notes in the wine and acts as a great palate cleanser. If you're looking for something that everyone knows, and tastes great with cabernet sauvignon, then cheddar cheese is the perfect choice.
Now with the tasting knowledge, the cheeses we suggest pairing with Merlot are gorgonzola, brie, camembert, and cheddar. The first cheese we suggest pairing with Merlot is a gorgonzola.
Saltier cheeses, especially blue cheese, make for an excellent choice to go with this sweet red wine. Asiago, Blue, Feta, Gruyere, and Muenster are all definitely worth a try with this popular red wine.
Farmhouse Gruyère, and other French semi-hard cheeses like Comté, or English ones like Cornish Yarg can be wonderful with pinot noir, or white wines, particularly those with good acidity, such as a riesling, which cuts through the cheese's fatty nature. Try zippy Loire sauvignon or New Zealand rieslings.
However, go for a Valpolicella with younger, milder Italian Pecorino, any medium-bodied, tempranillo-based wine for Spanish Manchego or the wonderful, smoothly nutty Ossau-Iraty from the French Pyrenees.
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!
Cheese and wine are alike in so many ways it's no wonder we often consume them together. Both have vast ranges of styles, where national and regional traditions interweave with climate, soil and other changing natural influences, meaning one year's batch can be very different from the last. Pests and moulds play their own parts, as does the temperature at which they are consumed.
Runny French cheeses are difficult to match with wine. The distinctive ammonic, farmyard smell of a good Brie or Camembert doesn't really complement many wines, but try a lightish, fruity red, such as Saumur Champigny, from the Loire, which will not fight the cheese. Strangely, really pungent washed-rind cheese, like an Epoisses, work well with spicy, aromatic wines like viognier or gewürztraminer. The so-runny-you-eat-it-with-a-spoon Vacherin Mont D'Or is best accompanied by a Côtes du Jura, the local chardonnay based wine cuts through the creaminess.
Wine: Pinot Gris; Cheese to Consider: aged Cheddar, Asiago, Edam, goat cheese, Gouda, Mozzarella, Muenster, and even Ricotta for a unique combo.
What to Know When Pairing Wine and Cheese 1 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. 2 Remember that the harder types of cheese (i.e. Cheddar or Parmesan) 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 (i.e. Blue Cheese and Port).
Wine and cheese have gone hand in hand for centuries, but with today’s ever-increasing options for both wines and cheeses, the pairing decisions can be staggering. So, to take a lot of the guesswork out of pairing here is a handy guide to give you a starting point for pairing your favorite wines with soon-to-be favored 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.
Why it works: The ever-present red berry fruit of a Pinot Noir is the perfect match for the nutty flavors found in a medium-firm cheese like Gruyere . Both have just the right amount of aroma and complexity to them, without running the risk of one overpowering the other.
The fresh, acidic fruit of a Moscato d’Asti cleans your mouth of heavier cheeses like Gorgonzola, leaving you nice and refreshed. Also try: Gewürztraminer and Munster or Prosecco and Asiago.
Why it works: While they’re earthy and tart, most goat cheeses are a bit of a blank slate, so the citrus and mineral notes found in a French Sauvignon Blanc bring out the wonderful nutty and herbal flavors that can be found in the cheese. The acidity is also a great way to cut through the heaviness of the goat cheese.
The full body found in your average Tempranillo is a terrific combination with the harder texture of Idiazabal, while the tannins of the wine contrast with the buttery flavor of the cheese. Also try: Rioja and Manchego, Garnacha and Zamorano, or Mencía and Roncal.
Why it works: The crisp, red fruit you find in a Provence Rosé is delicious but delicate, and the mellow flavor you find in a Havarti complements the wine gracefully without overpowering it. In addition to this, the steely minerality of a Provence Rosé is a great contrast to the smooth, soft texture of the cheese.
Why it works: Another great “grows together, goes together” pairing, the hard, aged texture of a Pecorino pairs wonderfully with the booming tannins of a Chianti Classico. The savory secondary notes in a Chianti bring out a hidden herbal flavor in the cheese, with the wine’s black fruit holding up perfectly against the boldness of the Pecorino.
An aged Cheddar has a fattiness that matches up wonderfully with the mouth-drying tannins you’ll find in many Cabernet Sauvignons.
I apologise in advance if you are reading this with a glass of port in one hand and a wedge of Stilton in the other. What I am about to talk about is, as always, outweighed by personal preference of course…if Port and Stilton floats your boat, then please don’t head back…to port (sorry).
As with so many things, Port and Stilton was a marriage of convenience rather than true romance. It was the 18th Century, and England and France were at war, which meant a shortage of French wine.
So if Port and Stilton is not the be all and end all, where should we be looking. Well, the answer to that lies in science really….more specifically malolactic fermentation (or strictly speaking malolactic conversion if you want to get really geeky).
It is this foundation that I use to guide how I pair wine with cheese. Malic acid produces those acidic, sharp, fresh, unripe flavours in wine, which is why wines that avoid MLF do so to maintain that crispness and fresh zing.
So far, all white wines and sparkling. What about the red wine?? After all, as mentioned earlier, most good reds to benefit from MLF. Well, the difficulty with red wine is the tannins, which can clash with cheese and provide some nasty surprises. White wine is certainly the safer bet when it comes to an all-rounder.
So we have covered white, sparkling and red wine, as well as fresh goat’s milk cheeses, soft chee s es and hard mature cheeses. All that is left really is the blue cheeses. With all of our pairings, we are looking to achieve one of two things. Complementary flavours, or opposites attracting.
Discover the art of Wine and Cheese Matching and how to prepare the perfect cheese board. Ideal for those who love entertaining at home or in restaurants. Or indeed simply love wine and cheese!
The actual timings of each Wine and Cheese Matching Masterclass may vary, please check your individual course date for specific timings.
Nestled in the heart of historic St. James’s Mayfair, DUKES LONDON is a sophisticated, luxury hotel where you will arrive as a guest and leave as a friend. Ever since King Henry 8th built his palace here in the 16th Century, St. James’s has been the exclusive retreat of writers, musicians, politicians and royalty.
The Wine and Cheese course was really fascinating and a real eye opener!
A Guide To Wine and Cheese Pairing. Some things in the culinary world were just meant to be together, like bread and butter or tomato and basil. But the most rewarding and complex pair of them all is wine and cheese. A marriage of flavors and textures that will eternally complement the other when paired successfully.
It's a turn of phrase that's been a staple in the culinary community for decades. It is a last resort guide for the floundering sommelier, making a quick and satisfactory decision tableside. It’s also a guiding rule when it comes to wine and cheese pairings. Selecting a wine and cheese from the same region is a surefire bet. If you are eating an aged cheese with Italian herbs like rosemary, basil and thyme made in Tuscany, the best wines to pair are Italian reds with medium tannin, like Chianti or a Rosso di Montalcino. The flavors imparted in the wine will match up with the flavors in the cheese and make a harmonious pairing. Another example of this is the Delice de Bourgogne, a soft cheese similar to a Brie, and a wine of Burgundy, red or white.
Similarly, a big Stilton Blue cheese will overwhelm your palate and ruin a perfectly quaffable Sancerre. Try pairing a light goat cheese with the Sancerre and a fruit forward, or even sweet wine, like Port or a Zinfandel, with a Blue cheese.
In order to maintain balance, you must take the intensity of the flavor profile and body weight of the wine and cheese into consideration. Cheese expert Laura Werlin tweeted, “The bigger the oak in the wine, the fewer cheese choices you have.” There are only so many big, fatty, rich cheeses out there, so if this is your style of wine, you should make sure your cheese can stand up to it. You can also base your selections off of the acidity. When you pair a high acid wine with a high acid cheese, they cancel out the acidity and allow the less dominant flavors to shine. You don't want to pair your California Cabernet Sauvignon with a young, delicate Brie. Similarly, a big Stilton Blue cheese will overwhelm your palate and ruin a perfectly quaffable Sancerre. Try pairing a light goat cheese with the Sancerre and a fruit forward, or even sweet wine, like Port or a Zinfandel, with a Blue cheese.
Try: The Ken Wright ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir is a juicy Pinot from a combination of grapes from around the Willamette Valley and shows bright notes of bing cherry and blackberry. To pair this wine with a L’Etivaz Swiss is a match made in heaven. The L’Etivaz is made in small quantities seasonally and is aged in caves in the Swiss Alps for about 30 months and the final product produces an aromatic, fruity cheese with subtle nutty undertones; perfect for our pairing!
But the most rewarding and complex pair of them all is wine and cheese. A marriage of flavors and textures that will eternally complement the other when paired successfully. Wine and cheese together elevate each other, or to misquote Aristotle, "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.". Here are a few basic principles ...
When in doubt overall, Eric Asimov from The New York Times said it best, “The point is not to obsess over the specifics of food and wine pairings... Seeking perfection is daunting...Looking for the good rather than the perfect allows more flexibility and fewer inhibitions, and opens one up to the quality of versatility.” These are just guidelines and there is no pressure to follow the rules at all, but if you’re looking for a classic culinary experience, these rules wont lead you astray.
The cheese course is also typically served with its own wine pairing. Depending on the restaurant, amount of courses or flow of meal, the wine pairing may also be the same one used for dessert. However, we often were served a small amount of port with our cheese course. The sweet, bold ports paired exceptionally well with the salty cheeses.
A cheese course is served as part of a meal, typically served on its own, after the main course and before dinner. Sometimes, a cheese course can be served in lieu of dessert, but that is different than the one we are talking about today. BMW and I have had the good fortune to enjoy our fair share of cheese courses.
How to serve a cheese for dinner just like the French at your own home! Decide whether you’d like to slice the cheese tableside and serve to your guests or if you’d like to pre-select the cheeses and serve them. Always remember to slice the cheeses immediately before serving so that they do not dry out.
Always remember to slice the cheeses immediately before serving so that they do not dry out. Don’t try to slice them ahead of time. Choose at least one soft and one hard cheese. For the soft, I suggest a brie or camembert which are mild and creamy. For the hard cheese, BMW and I both love a nutty gruyere.
Unlike the snacky cheese board we know and love, the cheese course requires utensils and to be served on a plate. No eating with your hands!
You can serve the cheese with a french boule bread. There you have it! How to serve a cheese course for dinner! So easy, I mean you don’t even have to cook anything. I love a good cheese course because it immediately elevates your meal without a whole lot of extra fuss in the kitchen.
Sometimes bread would accompany the course, but not always, and never crackers. The cheese was truly meant to be enjoyed on its own and appreciated for each cheese’s unique flavors. Not every cheese course was accompanied by such a gorgeous cheese cart.