White Wine is more subtle than you think. I love wine, its simply something that brings me pleasure, satisfaction and enjoyment. Whether I am adding it to a meal or having it on its own as a savored beverage, it is integrated in so many parts of my life. I think especially these days when we are sometimes ON 24/7, we need to go back to finding time to relax, rejuvenate and re-energize ourselves on a daily basis. Somehow I feel like I lost that for a long time. So now I make more time for self-care and its increased my quality of life. Having a great adult beverage, like wine and a truly fine wine, is an integral part of my downtime.
So when I was asked to do a segment on our weekly Wine and Dine program and I wanted to do something different. Something that was out of my comfort zone and kind of out of the box for me. I decided I was up to the challenge. I decided to do a White Wine Tasting with cheese and charcuterie.
Lots of Variety
The three white wine varietals I am going to go cover will be a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and a Moscato. And as a bonus I will be starting with a Brut Sparkling wine. All of these fine wines are available for you to try so don’t stress – you can uncover them all on my DTC Ambassador site and have them delivered to your door to sample.
The first tasting will be the Brut Sparkling wine. This is semi-dry and has a lovely flavor. With a sparkling the bubbles and acidity of the wine work well with creamy, buttery cheeses like brie, baby swiss or gouda as well as a beemster in my opinion. The Sparkling has a light flavor with bit of citrus and peach and isn’t too dry on your palette. Take the time to savor this wine and let the bubbles dissolve in your mouth. With the cheese it just enhances the flavor. Charcuterie can have some heavier salty meats to pair with the sparkling so be careful you don’t drown out the flavor of your wine varietal. A thinly sliced prosciutto would go well with the brut.
Second we will try the Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has more herbaceous and acidic flavors and is probably has the most versatility with wines and meats when pairing. It is a crisp wine that can hold its own. It pairs well with a nice smooth feta, Gruyere or Havarti. And is probably the best white wine for charcuterie, it embraces not only the strong flavors of salami, but also other meats like capicola and different pates as well. And the saltiness of the meats compliments and doesn’t overpower the acidity and flavors of the wine.
Chardonnay – The Bold White
There are many types of Chardonnay wine out there. The one I will introduce to you is a full bodied oak Chardonnay. It is one of the most popular white wines and it pairs well with cheese and charcuterie. It’s bold flavor has many tasting notes on the tongue. When it has been aged for a few days or weeks in oak barrels the wine will mellow out for a few days giving it vanilla and toasty notes.
That means chardonnay can pair with everything from fresh cheeses to aged gruyere or gouda. This allows the flavor of the wine to come out and compliment the the cheeses in a unique way. For charcuterie, Chardonnay also pairs well with speck or bresaola. This is a cured beef or pork loin that is a popular meat in Europe and a good mainstay of any charcuterie board and a personal favorite of mine.
Last we get to Moscato. This is the sweetest wine of the bunch and usually drank on its own or as a dessert wine. Because of it’s rich flavor and sweetness, it makes it very popular as a cold summer beverage on a hot day. Sweeter wines are complimented with stronger cheeses. This offset the sweet factor and the wine taking over the taste. I recommend any type blue cheese. I have chosen the Roquefort, one of my favorites – or Parmesan is another great choice – to compliment this delicious wine. Most charcuterie, salami, capicola, bresaola, prosciutto, etc will go well with the sweeter wines as they can handle heavier meats and the saltiness.
You Can’t Go Wrong with White Wine
No matter what pairings you choose, you can’t go wrong. The thing to keep in mind is that it’s the taste that really matters. I have always preferred red wines to white, but I am starting to expand my palate more lately. I have been enjoying whites more and the varieties they offer. If the white wine is a high quality, which by the way, makes a huge difference, I enjoy a good glass of Sauvignon Blanc. I like the crisper whites with a nice flavor that don’t leave that sour finish on the the tongue. Personally, I prefer easy drinking whites that compliment well with food but also on their own. It’s really a matter of personal taste so you should choose what you enjoy.
White Wine – Keep It Chilled
Remember to keep your whites chilled fridge temperature, anything less may not bring out the best flavors of the wine. And who doesn’t like a nice cold chilled glass of delicious white wine on a hot day?
Whatever your choice or preference, its the right one for you. Don’t let anyone tell you its bad or not a good wine, you like what you like. Remember, wine and pairings are subjective to your likes, dislikes and enjoyment. Food and wine should be celebrated and embraced. It is a big part of our culture as human beings and should be savored because every moment counts. So go out and create your own wine and cheese pairings and enjoy!
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