Cheese and wine are a made in heaven match. However, it is complex to pair the two. Your favorite wine should pair with a great cheeseboard. It becomes fine art, especially if you are organizing get-togethers or festive parties. So, do you pair Cheddar with white or red wine, sweet or dry? Should one start with wine or cheese? Which wine will go perfect with goat cheese? Do you wish to pair wine and cheese like a pro? This article aims at clarifying all your cheese and wine doubts. Then, keep reading for the best cheese and wine pairings. Also, find some fantastic add-ons for your next party.
Why Are Wine And Cheese Such A Popular Pairing?
The cheese and wine trend started in France in the middle ages. Farmers who were experts in making wine also made cheese. So, it was inevitably served together. It also explains why some popular cheese and wine combinations originate from the same area.
For instance, Beaujolais wine is from the Brie region of France. This place was also known for cheese production. Boujulois and brie make a famous wine and cheese pairing to this very day! No major get-togethers go without this trend in many countries.
How To Pair Wine And Cheese? Three Major Rules
Cheese Or Wine?
It depends on you whether you pick the cheese or the wine first. If you’ve got some go-to cheese styles in your mind, start looking for a suitable wine. Also, if you have a favorite wine bottle in hand, you need to begin finding the right cheese. But the wine and cheese combo adds a spark to your parties for sure!
Finding A Balance
Next, make sure that there’s a balance between the cheese style and wine type. One must not ignore the acidity, tannins, and sweetness levels of both. For instance, light wine like chardonnay or merlot goes in perfect pairing with strong cheese. So, you can pick Italian asiago, cheddar, or gruyere.
If you pick full-bodied wines, they go well with aged, hard cheese such as parmesan, cheddar, or pecorino. On the other hand, sparkling and white wine pair with soft and semi-soft cheese. So, you can pick chevre, brie, and camembert.
Present Both Wines
Ensure that you provide both white and red wine bottles to your guests. Even at parties, people have different preferences for various kinds of cheeses. For instance, some may like aged cheddar with cabernet sauvignon. Others may prefer pairing this cheese with white Burgundy.
Ten Tips For Your Next Wine And Cheese Party
Wine with blue cheese
Classic wine pairings with blue cheeses are sweet. For instance, port with stilton and Sauternes with Roquefort is perfect. If you wish to try something unique at parties, go for sweet sherry or sloe gin. Even blue cheese and stout work well together!
Wine with soft cheese
Any cheese from semi-soft white rinded cheeses like camembert and brie to Philadelphia is soft. If you like, try them with a fruity red like a Beaujolais or pinot noir. Even rose works well with this soft cheese style and specializes in your get-togethers.