Blueberry Wine: Best Paired Cheeses For A Sweet Sip

Blueberry wine is increasing in mainstream popularity, and like its grape counterpart, it comes in a number of varieties, from dry to sweet. When it comes to cheese, it is often paired with gouda, brie, and other deep-flavoured cheeses. If you're looking for a dish to go with your wine, a salad with vinaigrette or bruschetta is a good option to keep the wine from getting lost in heavy flavours. For those who are feeling adventurous, a baby spinach salad with walnuts, goat or blue cheese, and dried fruit with a honey and cider vinegar dressing is a great choice.

Blueberry wine and goat's cheese empanadas

Blueberry wine and goats cheese empanadas are a delightful combination of flavours and textures. The sweetness of the blueberry wine is a perfect match for the creamy, tangy goat's cheese, while the crisp, golden empanada pastry adds a satisfying savoury crunch.

To make the empanadas, start by making a simple dough with flour, butter, salt, and water. Roll the dough out thinly and cut into circles using a large cookie cutter or the top of a drinking glass. In a bowl, mix together softened goat's cheese, fresh or dried blueberries, a drizzle of honey, and a pinch of black pepper. Spoon the mixture onto one half of each dough circle, being careful not to overfill. Fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Brush the empanadas with beaten egg and bake in the oven until golden brown.

These empanadas are best served warm, with a crisp green salad on the side. As for the wine, a dry or medium-dry white wine is the perfect complement to the sweetness of the blueberries and the creaminess of the goat's cheese. A German Riesling or a Californian Chardonnay is an excellent choice, offering a crisp, refreshing contrast to the rich empanadas. For those who prefer red wine, an Argentinian Malbec is a bold option that will enhance the overall flavour profile of the dish.

So, the next time you're looking for a unique appetiser or light meal, give these blueberry wine and goats cheese empanadas a try. They're sure to impress and are a fun twist on traditional empanada fillings. Enjoy experimenting with this delicious combination of flavours!

Pairing with a salad

Blueberry wine is a versatile drink that can be paired with a variety of salads, depending on your taste preferences. Here are some ideas for pairing blueberry wine with a salad:

Green Salad with Fruit and Nuts

Create a salad with baby spinach, arugula, or a mix of leafy greens as your base. Add in some blueberries, sliced strawberries, or other berries of your choice. For a crunchy texture and a nutty flavour, include toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts. Finally, crumble some goat cheese or feta cheese on top. The creaminess of the cheese will complement the sweetness of the blueberries in the wine, while the nuts and greens will add a nice contrast in texture and flavour.

Spinach and Cheese Salad

For a classic pairing, combine baby spinach leaves with crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese. You can also add toasted nuts such as almonds or walnuts for extra crunch. A vinaigrette dressing made with honey and cider vinegar will bring all the flavours together. The tanginess of the cheese and the sweetness of the vinaigrette will enhance the fruity notes in the blueberry wine.

Blue Cheese and Fresh Fig Salad

If you're looking for a more sophisticated pairing, try a salad made with fresh figs, blue cheese, and pear or endive. The sweetness of the figs and the pungency of the blue cheese will create a beautiful contrast, and the wine will help balance the flavours. For a wine suggestion, go for a smooth Italian white wine like a Gavi di Gavi, or follow the recommendation of Victoria Moore and choose a Jurancon Sec to complement this salad.

Capriole Fresh Chèvre Salad

For a light and refreshing option, create a salad with Capriole Fresh Chèvre, a soft goat cheese. Add in some blueberries or a drizzle of blueberry balsamic vinegar. The tangy cheese and the sweet-tart blueberries will create a delightful combination, and the blueberry wine will enhance the flavours. You can also include some greens and nuts to add texture and variety to your salad.

When pairing blueberry wine with a salad, remember that the wine itself has a fruity and intense flavour profile. Look for ingredients that will complement these notes, such as berries, nuts, and cheeses like goat cheese, feta, and blue cheese. The key is to create a balance of sweet, tangy, and earthy flavours, with a variety of textures to make each bite interesting.

Gluten-free options

If you're looking for gluten-free options to pair with blueberry wine, cheese is always a good idea. Go for deep-flavoured cheeses such as gouda or brie. If you're making a charcuterie board, add some nuts, olives, and parmesan crisps. You could also make a baby spinach salad with walnuts, goat or blue cheese, and dried fruit with a honey and cider vinegar dressing.

Blueberry wine is also great with a variety of other foods. Try it with a fruit salad, pears, baked apples, or a light salad with a vinaigrette. If you want to get creative, you can turn the wine into a syrup and use it on top of a cheesecake, or use it in place of red wine in a bourguignon (venison works especially well). You can also use it to make a dressing for a bitter leaf salad.

When it comes to choosing a cheese to pair with blueberry wine, soft-ripened sheep's or goat's milk cheese is a great option. If you want to get really specific, try Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog with Stonewall Kitchen Wild Maine Blueberry Jam or Capriole Fresh Chèvre with Saratoga Olive Oil Co. Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar. And if you're in the mood for something more substantial, Flying Goat Farm Feta pairs well with Secolari Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar.

Other fruity companions

Blueberry wine is a fruity and intense drink, rich in antioxidants, that pairs well with several types of cheese. But what about other fruity companions?

Blueberries and cheese is a classic combination, and this can be extended to other fruits. For example, a salad of baby spinach, blueberries, goat cheese, and toasted almonds is a delightful summer dish when paired with a fruity dressing. Strawberries and brie is another winning combination, especially in a baby spinach salad.

Blue cheese, in particular, pairs well with fruits like pears, green grapes, and strawberries. A blue cheese and fresh fig salad is a delicious option, too, and can be accompanied by a smooth Italian white wine, such as a Gavi di Gavi. If you're after a heartier option, a burger or steak with blue cheese is best served with a robust red wine, like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec.

For those with a sweet tooth, blueberry jam and cheese on toast is a tasty breakfast option, and goat cheese with blueberry jam on crackers is another heavenly choice.

Blue cheese and wine

Blue cheese is a strong flavour that can be tricky to match with wine. A bad pairing can result in some harsh flavour combinations. However, there are some classic combinations that are famous for a reason.

Port and Stilton is one such classic combination. The creaminess of the cheese is offset by the sweetness of the Port. Another classic is Sauternes with Roquefort. The sweetness of the wine offsets the bitterness of the blue veins in the cheese.

When it comes to other wines, a simple, fruity red without too much structure is a safe bet with milder blue cheeses. Avoid anything with high tannins. Similarly, most Sauvignon Blancs, dry Rieslings, and Italian whites will not clash.

For stronger blue cheeses, a dry white wine or a red from the northern half of Italy is a good choice. A "marmalade" Torcolato dessert wine from Breganze is also an excellent pairing.

If you are looking for a wine to drink with other courses in a meal, or a pairing for a blue cheese sauce, an oaked Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, or a Sauvignon-Semillon blend is a good choice. The melon, tropical, and citrus flavours of Chardonnay harmonise with the blue vein, while the oak brings out the creamy, nutty background. Aromatic whites are also recommended, such as a rich Alsace Gewürztraminer or a wine from Marlborough in a similar style.

Frequently asked questions