Ice Wine And Cheese: Perfect Pairing For A Sweet Treat

Ice wine is a sweet, late-harvest wine produced from grapes that were frozen before being picked. It is an exquisite treat, with a velvety texture and a magical balance of acidity and sweetness. Its extravagant sweetness goes well with cheese, especially those with strong flavours. While milder cheeses tend to get overpowered by the wine's sweetness, blue cheeses like Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Stilton pair well with ice wine. Hard, aged cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, aged Gruyere, and very aged sharp cheddar are also good choices.

Blue cheeses like Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Stilton

Ice wine is a sweet, late-harvest wine produced from grapes that have been left to freeze naturally on the vine. This process intensifies the sugar, acids, and other components, resulting in a wine with a velvety texture and elegant balance of acidity and sweetness. The high acidity in ice wine also contributes to its refreshing quality.

When serving ice wine with blue cheese, consider a simple pairing such as a block of Gorgonzola or a plate of Roquefort with Marcona almonds. For a more elaborate presentation, create a cheese plate with a variety of blue cheeses, including Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Stilton. To enhance the nuttiness of the wine, garnish the cheeses with walnuts or pecans, either raw or candied.

In addition to blue cheeses, hard and aged cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Gruyere, and sharp Cheddar also pair well with ice wine. These cheeses have strong flavours that can hold their own against the sweetness and acidity of the wine.

Hard, aged cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano and aged Gruyere

Ice wine is a sweet, late-harvest wine with a velvety texture that is best served chilled. It is produced from grapes that are left on the vine after the normal harvest and are dried into raisins. The freezing temperatures dehydrate the grapes, intensifying the sugar, acids and other components.

Ice wine is an exquisite treat that can be enjoyed on its own or as an accompaniment to a meal. Cheese is an ideal companion to ice wine, especially those with strong flavours. Harder, aged cheeses work well with ice wine, such as Parmigiano Reggiano and aged Gruyere. The salty, savoury notes of these cheeses balance the sweetness of the wine, creating a lovely harmony of flavours. The sharpness of these cheeses also helps to cut through the rich, velvety texture of the wine.

Parmigiano Reggiano, or Parmesan as it is more commonly known, is a hard, granular cheese that has a complex, savoury flavour. It is often used as a seasoning rather than a cheese to be eaten on its own due to its intense, umami-rich taste. When paired with ice wine, the salty, savoury notes of the cheese are enhanced and the sweetness of the wine is tempered, creating a delightful contrast of flavours.

Aged Gruyere is another excellent choice to pair with ice wine. Gruyere is a Swiss cheese that has a slightly sweet, nutty flavour and a firm, buttery texture. As it ages, the flavour becomes more intense and the texture becomes harder and more crystalline. The sweetness of the ice wine complements the nutty notes of the Gruyere, while the acidity of the wine helps to balance the richness of the cheese.

When pairing hard, aged cheeses with ice wine, it is important to consider the intensity of flavour and texture of both the cheese and the wine. A good rule of thumb is to match the intensity of the cheese to the intensity of the wine. For example, a strongly flavoured, aged Gruyere would pair well with a full-bodied ice wine, while a younger, milder Gruyere might be better suited to a lighter, more delicate ice wine.

In addition to flavour and texture, the visual presentation of the cheese and wine pairing should also be considered. A beautifully arranged cheese plate with a variety of hard, aged cheeses, accompanied by fresh or dried fruit, nuts, and crackers, can enhance the overall enjoyment of the ice wine.

Spicy food, especially Thai, Indian, Mexican, or Creole

Spicy food and ice wine are a fantastic pairing. The sweetness of the wine balances the spices in the food, and the chilled serving temperature of ice wine can cool your mouth if spicy food has your tongue tingling.

Ice wine is a dessert wine, and it is often consumed after a meal, but it is also a surprisingly good partner for savoury foods. Spicy Thai, Indian, Mexican, or Creole food can be enjoyed with a glass of ice wine. The spicier the dish, the better the pairing.

Ice wine is made from grapes that have been left on the vine to freeze. The freezing intensifies the sugar, acids, and other components, resulting in a sweet wine with a high level of acidity. This high sugar and acid content makes ice wine a good match for spicy food.

When pairing wine with spicy food, it is important to consider the type of spiciness you are dealing with. Chilli heat comes from capsaicin, a naturally occurring chemical compound. The heat from capsaicin is not a flavour, but our nervous system reacts to it as if we have consumed something boiling hot. To temper this heat, pair a chilli-spiced dish with an off-dry white wine. A lightly sweet Chenin Blanc can be a good choice.

If you want to amplify the heat of chillies, choose a high-acid, peppery wine like a Cabernet Franc-based red wine or a cool-climate Syrah.

Numbing spice, like that of Szechuan peppercorns, comes from a different source: a compound called hydroxy-alpha-sanshool. No wine can mute the feeling of numbness, but you can balance it with a silky, rich white wine like a Grüner Veltliner.

Pungency in ingredients like mustard and horseradish comes from a chemical compound called allyl isothiocyanate. This binds to receptors in our nose, making our eyes water and our sinuses tingle. To brighten up the flavours of pungent spices, choose a fruity wine. A chilled, light-bodied Grenache rosé or a fruity, off-dry Riesling can be a good choice.

Salty foods like anchovies, olives, and capers

Ice wine is a sweet, late-harvest wine with a velvety texture, often served as a dessert wine. It is produced from grapes that are left to freeze on the vine before being harvested and pressed. The freezing intensifies the sugars, acids and other components, resulting in a sweet, acidic wine.

When pairing ice wine with food, it is important to remember that the wine itself is sweet, so it should be paired with less sweet foods to avoid a bland taste. The wine's slight acidity also makes it a good match for fatty or meaty foods, as the acidity will cut through the fat. Ice wine is best consumed in small amounts as it is very sweet, and it is often enjoyed on its own.

Salty foods are a great pairing with ice wine. Salty dishes enable you to pair the wine with big and bold-flavoured wines. Salt enhances a wine's body while decreasing any sense of bitterness, astringency and acidity on the palate. Salty, savoury flavours will complement the wine's sweetness and acidity.

Salty foods like anchovies, olives and capers are a perfect match for ice wine. These salty, savoury flavours will enhance the experience of both the food and the wine. The saltiness will bring out the sweetness of the wine, while the wine's acidity will provide a refreshing contrast to the salt. The bold, intense flavours of these foods will stand up to the sweetness and acidity of the ice wine, creating a well-balanced pairing.

In addition to salty foods, ice wine also pairs well with strong-flavoured cheeses, such as blue cheese, Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or aged cheeses like Sharp Cheddar or Parmigiano Reggiano. These cheeses have strong, pungent flavours that can hold their own against the sweetness and acidity of the wine. So, if you're looking for a salty and savoury snack to enjoy with your ice wine, anchovies, olives, capers, and strong-flavoured cheeses are excellent choices.

Rich foods like foie gras, pate, or duck

Ice wine is a sweet, late-harvest wine that is produced when grapes naturally freeze in the vineyard at a minimum of -8°C/17.6°F. It is a good pairing for fruit-driven desserts, ice cream, and soft or pungent cheeses.

When it comes to rich foods like foie gras, pate, or duck, there are some great wine pairings to consider.

For foie gras, a traditional pairing is a sweet or syrupy white wine. The sweetness of the wine complements the mild taste and melt-in-the-mouth texture of the foie gras. Some specific recommendations include sweet wines from the Southwest of France, such as Jurançon and Monbazillac, or prestigious Sauternes wines from Bordeaux. If you're looking for something less traditional, a dry white wine can also work well. A late-harvest Gewurztraminer from Alsace or a dry Pinot Gris are unexpected choices that can surprise your guests. For those who prefer red wine, an older vintage with softer tannins and spicy aromas, such as a Burgundy or Bordeaux, is a good option.

When it comes to pate, a fatty country pate or terrine calls for a wine with good acidity to cut through the richness. A light, juicy red with bright berry fruit, such as a Beaujolais, is an excellent choice. A red Burgundy is another good option, as it offers acidity rather than sweetness. A German or Alsatian Riesling can also stand up to the robust flavour of pate.

As for duck, a Cahors or a 'parmentier' are recommended wine pairings.

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