A Little Cheese

It’s the pairing we all know and love – cheese and wine! The perfect match between the two can take you on a delicious adventure.

There are no real set rules for pairing wine and cheese, however it is important to take into consideration acidity, texture, fat, saltiness and tannins to find that perfect match.

How to Pair Wine and Cheese

It often seems daunting when deciding which wine to pair with which cheese, and often experimenting is the only way to go. There are a couple of really great ways to find the perfect wine and cheese combination:

• Pair cheeses and wines based on similar properties – cheese with acidic properties to wines with acidic content for example.
• Always ensure a balance between quantities – take the similar weight of both ingredients for the perfect match.
• Choose white crisp wine for whiter fresh cheese, and dark stronger wine for dark and aged cheese.
• Try a sweet wine with a salty acidic cheese – the sweetness of the wine will counter-balance the saltiness of the cheese.

Things to Avoid when Pairing Wine and Cheese

Ok, so we know there isn’t too much going wrong when you have cheese in one hand and wine in the other. But there are a few things to avoid that may spoil your overall pairing experience.

• Try not to pair robust wines with a mild cheese – the wine will dominate and never complement.
• Avoid overanalysing. Everyone has taste preferences and what you like may not be the same as your tasting companion.

Popular Wine and Cheese Pairings

We get it; sometimes you want to skip the experimenting and just jump straight in. Here are some of the most suitable wine and cheese pairs to include on your next platter:

• Cabernet Sauvignon with Cheddar – the sharpness of the cheese balances out the intense fruity flavour from the wine.
• Hard cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, and aged Manchego pair well with Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Cheddar, Gouda and Baby Swiss pair well with a juicy Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc.
• Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel match well with Havarti, Jarlsberg and Fresh Mozzarella.
• Brie and Boursin go well with a lighter wine like Riesling, Merlot and Champagne.

Choose the right cheese to pair with your preferred wine, pick up some good quality antipasto ingredients, and sit down this weekend with the ultimate snack platter.