Wine and cheese is one of the world’s best duos. The combination of the two is so loved that there is now an entire science to wine pairing. But unless you’re a professional wine or cheesemaker or a trained connoisseur, you probably don’t know which types of cheese work best for your evening Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon. Without getting into food chemistry and complicated explanations, here’s an easy guide to cheese and wine pairing.
Know Your Basics
Wine and cheese that come from the same place tend to pair well together. If you have an Italian wine, be sure to pair it with an Italian cheese.
Nutty cheeses pair well with pretty much all types of wine. So when in doubt, buy some Beaufort cheese, Swiss cheese, fontina cheese, or Manchego cheese.
Generally, the bolder the cheese, the bolder the wine. Intense-tasting cheeses pair well with strong wines, especially reds. A light wine like Sauvignon Blanc will pair well with sweeter cheeses, such as goat cheese or mozzarella cheese.
Pungent cheeses like blue cheese should be matched with sweeter wines, red or white.
For White Wines
White wine tends to be delicate or light in flavor. That is why whites are typically paired with soft, mild cheeses. Goat cheeses, gruyere, mozzarella, fondue cheeses, and Monterey Jack are all great picks for white wines from wet or dry, sweet to oaky.
For Red Wines
Because red wine tends to be bolder that white wine, the former pairs the best with bolder cheeses and aged cheeses, including Manchego, Asiago, pecorino, Parmigiano-Reggiano, smoked gouda cheese, and cheddar cheese.
For Sparkling Wines
Sweet, soft cheeses including brie, muenster, camembert and ricotta pair wonderfully with very sweet and sparkling wines. Often, these wine and cheese combinations are reserved for dessert courses. Sparkling white wines such as moscato or Riesling, as well rosé, tend to have fruity notes to them, which is why they are so suitable for sweet cheeses.
Supermarket Italy’s Wine-Flavored Cheeses
Supermarket Italy takes some of the guesswork out of cheese and wine pairing by providing you with cheeses that have been infused with wine. Try Murcia al Vino Deliart DOP and Yancey’s Fancy Strawberry Chardonnay Cheddar Cheese —the names literally tell you which wine you’re supposed to have! Supermarket Italy also sells wine-infused salami, including Volpi Pinot Grigio Wine Salami and Volpi Chianti Wine Salami. You have all the makings of an amazing charcuterie board. Easy, right?