I have been called the Cheese Queen before and for good reason. I simply love cheese. Not only that but how its such a diverse and tasty thing to eat. My favorite way to eat it is with a wine pairing and I am going to talk a bit about that below.
When I worked in a commodities trading brokerage I did international logistics and trading to many different countries. I traded everything from meat to dairy products, dried fruit and nuts. As our company had one of the biggest cheese import quotas in Canada, I had the opportunity to try and appreciate many different cheeses from all over the world. Cheese has a culture unto itself, including different colors, flavors and gradings.
I always seem to prefer the aged cheddar and triple cream brie over anything else, and I have tasted a lot of cheese. There is no right answer about what cheese pairs with what wine, its all about YOUR taste and what you enjoy.
The Pairings That this Cheese Queen enjoys
However, I will go through some common pairings below.
- Wine: Beaujolais; Cheese to consider: Brie, Camembert, goat cheese
- Wine: Cabernet Franc; Cheese to Consider: Blue, Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Fontina, goat cheese, Gorgonzola, Port Salut, Swiss
- Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon; Cheeses to Consider: Camembert, Cheddar, Colby, Danish Blue, Gorgonzola, Gouda, Parmesan, Blue cheese, Roquefort
- Wine: Chardonnay; Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, Gouda, Gruyere, Parmesan, Provolone
- Wine: Chenin Blanc; Cheese to Consider: Camembert, goat cheese, Graddost
- Wine: Dessert Wine; Cheese to Consider: Crème Fraiche, Mascarpone, or shake it up with a salty/sweet combo. and consider a crumble or two of blue cheese.
- Wine: Gewurztraminer; Cheese to Consider: Boursin, Camembert, Chevre, Muenster, Swiss, Wensleydale
- Wine: Merlot; Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Gouda, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Parmesan
More Options to Consider
- Wine: Pinot Blanc; Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, Feta
- Wine: Pinot Gris; Cheese to Consider: aged Cheddar, Asiago, Edam, goat cheese, Gouda, Mozzarella, Muenster, and even Ricotta for a unique combo.
- Wine: Pinot Noir; Cheese to Consider: Brie, Camembert, Feta, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Muenster, Port Salut, Swiss
- Wine: Port; Cheese to Consider: Blue, Gorgonzola
- Wine: Riesling; Cheese to Consider: Brie, Blue, Colby, Edam, Gouda, Monterey Jack
- Wine: Rioja; Cheese to Consider: Asiago, Cheddar, Havarti
- Wine: Sangiovese; Cheese to Consider: Blue, Fontina, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Provolone, Ricotta
- Wine: Sauvignon Blanc; Cheese to Consider: Asiago, Brie, Cheddar, Feta, goat cheese, Gruyere, Neufchatel, Parmesan
- Wine: Shiraz/Syrah; Cheese to Consider: Cheddar, Edam, Gouda, Parmesan
- Wine: Zinfandel; Cheese to Consider: Asiago, Blue, Feta, goat cheese, Gouda, Gruyere, Muenster
Remember that the harder types of cheese (i.e. Cheddar or Parmesan) can handle more tannic or full bodied wines. As this Cheese Queen tells you, wine and cheese are a great pairing for any occasion. 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).
There are so many options for wine around the world and such a diverse selection in almost every country that its almost impossible to choose exactly which wine pairs with which food, again its all about what appeals to you.
In this case, I am going to focus on pairing the cheese with some of boutique wines from DTC Ambassador that are niched to the California Napa and Sonoma regions. This is one of the most popular and appealing wine regions in the world due to the high quality of wine produced consistently year after year. The climate and soil is perfect for producing outstanding vintages.
Wine Savvy
My husband and I were in France last year. I was doing a speaking engagement. So, we took the opportunity to travel the country visiting different wine regions all over France. I came away with a new appreciation for French wine but what I loved about it was the opportunity to immerse myself in the wine culture over there. We went on many wine tours as you can imagine and what I realized is that the quality of the wine that you drink has many factors such as weather, production, etc, but the one thing that consistently makes wine unique no matter where it is in the world is the soil or the “terroire”. This defines what the grapes will produce and why there are so many varietals in so many countries.
I could focus on Wine all day long, but cheese is the perfect compliment to this delicious beverage.
No matter which wine you choose to pair with cheese or food, you can never go wrong, so get out there and experiment and find out what you like and enjoy every moment. It’s a great chance to connect with your community and catch up on things, or for a more formal even. No matter what it’s all about relishing the experience! So Cheers and Enjoy!
Response Magic