Wine and Cheese Pairings

Whether you call it as wine pairing or cheese pairing, it is true that wine and cheese are great combination. They share a lot of things in common; both are made by fermentation process and can be served immediately. Another remarkable similarity between wine and cheese is both taste best after curing or aging. In case you have a craving for both of these natural products, then there is no question about the wonderful taste brought about by wine and cheese pairings.

The tradition of wine and cheese pairing has been around for thousands of years. Each of the ingredients play its role to bring out the best flavor in each other. Some people opine that wine and cheese are just inseparable. Thus, when we think of organizing a wine tasting party, we usually end up giving wine and cheese pairing party. Such a party is an excellent idea for meeting old friends, family get together, bridal shower and other occasions.

Guide to Good Wine and Cheese Pairings

The selection as to which wine goes well with what type of cheese depends entirely upon personal taste. Nevertheless, there are some classic combination choices that most people love to have at all times. For example, a red wine blends well with hard cheese having a mild flavor; while a white wine and strong flavored, soft cheese pairing gives an amazing taste. You can use any type of cheese for pairing with dessert or fruity sweet wines. The thumb rule to make the best wine and cheese pairings is using a sweet tasting wine for pungent cheese and vice versa.

Generally speaking, white wines suit best for a wider range of cheeses. At the time of serving, make sure wines are served cool (red wine at 60 - 65 degrees F, white wine at 50 - 55 degrees F) and cheeses are maintained at room temperature. If you are throwing a wine and cheese party, but do not actually know how to go about it, read the information given below regarding selection of wine and cheese:

Red Wine and Cheese
In most cases, red wines are best paired with sharp cheddar cheese. You can try the following combinations of red wines and cheeses:

• Cabernet Franc and sharp cheddar
• Chianti and hard cheese (preferable Parmesan cheese)
• Merlot and sharp cheddar
• Cabernet Sauvignon taste best with sharp cheese and hard cheese
• Zinfandel and blue cheese
• Sangiovese and creamy cheese (preferably Brie)
• Pinot Noir and white cheeses (preferably Swiss cheese)
• Amarone and Gorgonzola cheese
• Shiraz and sharp cheddar

White Wine and Cheese
As mentioned already, white wines are best served with soft and creamy cheeses. Listed below are white wine and cheese pairings that you can try your hands on:

• Champagne (or other sparkling wines) and Brie (or other creamy cheeses)
• Sauvignon Blanc and goat cheese (or Brie cheese)
• Gewurztraminer and Swiss cheese (or other German cheese)
• Riesling and gouda cheese
• Loire Valley wines and goat cheese
• Sauternes and blue cheese (or Roquefort cheese)
• Chardonnay and mild cheddar
• Pinot Blanc and Brie
• Pinot Gris and cheddar (not sharp)

Last but not the least, Madeira wine combined with blue cheeses make a good combination. Some people believe that cheeses of a specific region is best paired with the wine types of the same area (for e.g. chianti wine and Parmesan cheese). However, there is always an exception and the option of wine and cheese pairings vary with individual taste buds. What you can do to make delectable combination is to use lighter wines for delicate cheeses and stronger wines for stronger flavored cheeses. This way, you can succeed in bringing a balance between the ingredients of wine and cheese while pairing.